© Gregory MangoAs part of the city’s emergency order, schools and child-care programs have to turn over medical and vaccination records on demand to the Health Department — which the city charged United Talmudical refused to do.
The closure of the United Talmudical Academy's program at 75 Ross St. came less than a week after Mayor de Blasio ordered mandatory vaccinations in predominantly Hasidic neighborhoods across four Brooklyn ZIP codes.
"This outbreak will continue to worsen, and the case count will grow if child-care programs and schools do not follow our direction," warned Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot in announcing the closure.
Since the outbreak began in October, there have been 329 measles cases recorded in the city, with most in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Borough Park in Brooklyn. About 86 percent of the victims, 284, were under 18.
Forty-four new cases have developed since de Blasio issued the emergency order Tuesday, which gave anyone living, working or attending school in the 11205, 11206, 11211 and 11249 ZIP codes 48 hours to be vaccinated or face a $1,000 fine.
Two were reported at the Satmar-run United Talmudical Academy, run by 10 teachers and staff, and attended by roughly 250 boys between 3 and 5.
Twenty-three yeshivas and day-care programs have already received Notices of Violation for ignoring the mayor's order to exclude students who haven't been vaccinated.
But United Talmudical was the first to be closed.
As part of the city's emergency order, schools and child-care programs have to turn over medical and vaccination records on demand to the Health Department - which the city charged United Talmudical refused to do.
Hermania Palacio, deputy mayor for health and human services, defended the closure, saying we're "very concerned" about the outbreak spreading further as families gather for the Passover break.
"This is a time when students and families are congregating," Palacio said.
"Getting together with this very highly contagious disease where the virus can live in the air for two hours after the person has walked out of the room, this is why vaccines are so critically important. This is a highly contagious disease."
Comment: A highly contagious infection that would not have been life-threatening had it not been for vaccination campaigns:
Palacio also railed against staunch anti-vaccination advocates for opening the door for the disease to make a comeback after being effectively stamped out in this country nearly 20 years ago.
"By 2000, measles was essentially eradicated" in the US, said Palacio. "This anti-vax movement has proven to be very dangerous.
"We should not have active measles in the United States. Period. Full stop."
Reps for United Talmudical could not be reached for comment.
Comment: Measles hysteria: New York City declares public health emergency over recent outbreaks