Ohio school says religion not an excuse for not vaccinating children

In this 2018, file photo, a health worker prepares a syringe with a vaccine against measles. An Ohio private school said religion will not be an acceptable excuse for not vaccinating children.

Credit: Leo Correa

Credit: Leo Correa

In this 2018, file photo, a health worker prepares a syringe with a vaccine against measles. An Ohio private school said religion will not be an acceptable excuse for not vaccinating children.

A private school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, sent out a notice to parents saying that religion will not be an acceptable excuse for not vaccinating children.

WOIO reported that Hebrew Academy of Cleveland is making it mandatory for parents vaccinate their children. The notice comes as there is a measles outbreak in New York and a chicken pox outbreak at a North Carolina private school.

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“We recognize that there are families that have strong views on both sides of this issue. However, this is not an area where we can accommodate any deviation from this new protocol,” the Nov. 15 letter said.

The only exception from vaccines is a medical one, such as an allergy.

"There's no legitimate medical information or legitimate study that supports not vaccinating," Cleveland Clinic Dr. Baruch Fertel told WJW. "Most of this comes from celebrities or other alarmists with little medical training. It's not just a personal decision, it affects other people."

Fertel’s children go to the school.

Depending on the grade, WOIO reported that Ohio requires six vaccinations for students, including vaccines for polio, chickenpox and measles.