Measles, which is spreading again in Israel and around the world, is causing serious concern. According to the Ministry of Health, between January and the end of August there were 260 cases of infection in Israel, compared with 16 cases of infection in the same period last year – a sharp increase of more than 1,600%.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, the two most affected areas of the year’s measles are Tzefas and Petach Tikvah, with 68 cases of measles diagnosed in each of them, followed by the Jerusalem District with 44 cases of infection; 27 cases in the Tel Aviv District; and 27 in the Akko district.
It is difficult to say categorically, but doctors estimate that the reason for the outbreak is due to a decrease in the rate of immunization. According to an investigation in The Marker, by Roni Linder-Ganz, the Ministry of Health does not know the rate of immunization according to communities, and in fact is almost groping in the dark.
The Movement for Freedom of Information intends to submit an administrative petition under the Freedom of Information Law, demanding that the Ministry of Health produce and publish the data or more accurately examine data in depth.
In July, the Movement for Freedom of Information asked the Ministry of Health to furnish vaccination data by locality and by type of vaccine, but the ministry sent only the rate of immunized according to its districts and sub-districts, not by localities.
“According to the decision of the head of public health services and the director of the Epidemiology Department, data are published only at the ministry district or sub-district, and not according to individual localities,” the Ministry of Health responded to the organization without providing explanations.
In addition, data pertaining to districts was only partial. “Data on immunization coverage are only for children born in 2014 (three-year-olds) and have visited at least once in Health Ministry clinics in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or Leumit HMO clinics. This figure represents 75% of the children, the rest go to Tipat Chalav well-baby clinics or receive vaccinations at the HMOs, and they should be approached for information.”
It turns out that the Ministry of Health does not have full data on the rate of vaccination in Israel, due to the lack of information about vaccinated patients in HMOs, especially those who have never visited a Tipat Chalav clinic.
The Ministry of Health said in response to the Marker that “the issue of vaccination coverage by locality is complex, for several reasons: First, in most localities, vaccinations are provided by several bodies (the Ministry of Health, the health funds and municipalities). In addition, many children are vaccinated at the Tipat Chalav stations, which is not necessarily in their locality of residence, and therefore, after the completion of the data collection, precise work is needed for the result to reflect the immunization coverage as much as possible. After collecting the information from all the factors, we will need additional work to process the data.”
It was also added, “When the process is completed, the information will be distributed to all the relevant parties, and at the moment it is not possible to provide data that did not go through the required process.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
it’s none of their business, should be a personal choice
It is interesting to see this stream of articles lately which are designed to create alarm over several dozen measles cases in Israel and put the blame on those evil antivaxxers and now apparently on the Israeli Health system and their record keeping ability. Actually the subject of Medical privacy and Vaccination record keeping is a contentious issue in the USA. Pro mandatory vaccine groups funded by BIg Pharma are constantly trying to get laws passed in state legislatures that would allow schools to publicly identify unvaccinated children in the hope that public bullying will force parents to bow down and comply. It is strange that frum organizations would be so willing to promote an agenda that would obliterate the most basic right of privacy.
The unfortunate truth is that the Measles vaccine does not work. Unlike catching measles as a child and having life long immunity, the vaccine only provides temporary immunity. It lasts for a few years and wears off. However, nearly everyone who is vaccinated also carries the dormant virus. So when the vaccine wears off, they get the measles. This is a great marketing strategy for the pharmaceutical companies but a disaster for the public. Whenever there is a big todo about a measles out break, it is blamed on those who were not vaccinated. What is not made public is that most if not all of those who got sick had been vaccinated. The lack of clear data in Israel is not unique. That is how it is everywhere and some suspect that it is deliberate to hide the ineffectiveness of the vaccine.
mi ke’amcha israel, naar echad ba’aretz
To flatbushantivaxxer: When did 260 cases of measles become “several dozen?” Your arithmetic is as unsound as your medical and public health opinion.
And for the rest of you: There is nothing “private” about contagious diseases. When we all vax, we make the world safer for (a) nearly everyone else, and (b) people who, for sound medical reasons, cannot be vaccinated. The nicest word for people who can be vaccinated but do not do so is “schnorrers.”
Sorry, guys. The measles vaccine does work if both shots are given at the prescribed times. And measles isn’t harmless. It kills. It can also cause lifelong brain damage. And not everyone can be immunized, like people with autoimmune diseases or being treated for cancer, so people who don’t vaccinate their kids are endangering total strangers who have no choice in the matter.
Get wise and quit falling for everything you read on Dr. Internet. Do what your own physician tells you and protect your kids and those around you.
“Do what your own physician tells you” – but first ask him to provide you with the leaflet that lists the ingredients contained in the vaccine and a description of the risks involved – you are your child’s best advocate – do your research – there is legitimate research conducted by unbiased competent researchers, other than Dr. internet (where do you get your information (i.e., propaganda) from, mw2?)
here in israel the misrad hachinuch does not require that students bring in their immunization records in order to come to school. i remember as a child in america not being allowed into school or camp without bringing updated immunization records. i think parents would feel pressured into being more on top of their childrens immunizations if they knew that their kids wont be let into school otherwise.