Why Are Less Parents Vaccinating?

In the past few years an anti-vaccine movement has been growing around the world. The movement hasn’t spared the Chareidi community, which has also seen more and more parents refrain from vaccinating their children. This phenomenon is across the board, both in Israel and around the world.

Although in many places, like in New York State, immediate medical intervention upon the birth of a child; such as the vitamin-K shot, is mandated by law and may not be refused, in Israel the laws are more lenient. Parent’s in Israel have the right to refuse any kind of medical intervention for their children.

Some parents proudly proclaim that they do not vaccinate their children, while others choose to stay under the radar, especially since it can cause their children trouble later on when applying for schools.

Among the non-vaccinating community there are various different approaches to vaccinating. Some parents will refrain from totally vaccinating their children, while others will embark on a more moderate vaccine schedule, and others will merely delay the shots until their children are over the age of three.

According to a Chareidi nurse working in a hospital in Yerushalayim, parents refuse vaccines for their children for many different reasons.

“On an average, we have about 1-2 out of every 10 parents that will refuse the vaccines”, Says the nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Some parents were told by friends, family, and even in prenatal classes to postpone vaccinating”.

The growing number of non-vaccinators is also attributed to more awareness of the adverse side effects that vaccines carry. Unfortunately, this awareness is usually spurred by parents whose children have been hurt from a vaccine.

One none vaccinating parent who spoke to “Bechadrei Chareidim” explained, “there are benefits to be gained by vaccines, and there are negative side effects as well, I believe that the loss out ways the benefits.”

The Chareidi nurse also shared that the hospital she works for recently started purchasing vaccines from the American mega drug-company ‘Merk’, instead of the usual European company which it had bought from in the past.

Although she could not provide the reason for the hospitals sudden change, she did say that “the new vaccines have a label which states, ‘No Preservatives’. This may indicate the growing awareness of the negative ingredients vaccines carry.

Although there is no one reason why some parents refuse to vaccinate their children, evidently the numbers of non-vaccinators has been steadily growing in the last few years.

By Eli B.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!