7-Month-Old Amish Baby Is New York’s First Measles-Related Death In 30+ Years

Sad story of another young Amish child passing away in what’s being termed a “measles-related” case. An unnamed 7-month-old Amish boy who died Sunday at his home in Lewis County, New York is the state’s first measles-related death in more than 30 years.

The New York Times reported the details Tuesday, citing Jeffery Tompkins, who serves as both coroner and district attorney of Lewis County. According to the Times, Tompkins said the boy died in the town of Denmark, that his family is Amish, and that he had not been vaccinated. State and county health officials had not released his age, sex, or vaccination status when they announced the death Monday evening.

Measles has been an ongoing story in the country and among the Amish in particular. It has been spreading in and around Amish communities in several states this year. In Pennsylvania, two Lancaster County infants died in August amid an outbreak that reporting increasingly tied to Plain households, and the county coroner later confirmed measles killed a 6-week-old Amish girl. In early September, a public health director reported measles among the Amish in three western New York counties. Lewis County is in a different region of the state – in the North Country, well northeast of those counties.

Regarding the “measles-related” label, it should be noted that the cause of death has not been released. In Pennsylvania, three of the five people who died in measles-associated cases had another significant medical issue, at least two of them Amish. It’s unknown if that was the case here.

The Early Vaccine Dose For Infants

Since the boy’s age became public, some online commentary has argued that he was too young to have been vaccinated in any case. Under the routine schedule, the first MMR dose is given between 12 and 15 months.

However, during an outbreak the guidance changes. New York’s health department recommends that infants 6 months and older who are at risk of exposure receive an early dose. State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald explained it to WWNY:

“When you have an active outbreak of measles in your community, the first dose of vaccine gets pushed up to 6 months of age. Then you get your regular dose at 12 months of age, and then your other dose at four years of age. So you get that extra dose for the very young.”

Lewis County, with fewer than 30,000 residents, had not reported a single measles case since the state began publishing county-level data in 1994. That changed in late September. As of Tuesday the county has 16 confirmed cases, all in unvaccinated people.

That puts Lewis County fourth in the state, behind Seneca, Otsego, and Steuben counties, according to the Rome Sentinel. Statewide, New York had recorded 178 cases as of October 24, per CNN. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency on October 5, which among other things allows paramedics and EMTs to give measles vaccines.

Again, so sad to lose a life so young. Amish families are guided and strengthened by their faith and supported by like-minded communities. These parents will be feeling that in the coming days. Prayers for their peace and comfort.

The Religious Exemption Fight

The Empire State has been prominent in recent years when it comes to vaccine requirements and parental rights. This baby’s death comes as Amish families in New York continue to fight the state’s school vaccine requirements.

New York repealed its religious exemption in 2019 after a measles outbreak centered in Orthodox Jewish communities. Amish parents and schools challenged the law, and on June 30 a federal appeals court ruled against them a second time, after the U.S. Supreme Court had sent the case back for reconsideration.

Amish schools in the state have been fined $118,000 for vaccine-related violations. The case has now gone back before the Supreme Court. Individual states and outside groups have filed briefs in support of the Amish, most recently the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons on Monday.

More Openness To Vaccines In Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, where the outbreak has run since late April, the state has recorded five measles-associated deaths, three of them in Lancaster County. The Associated Press reported on October 30 that more Plain families there are showing openness to the vaccine. One community health center has given about 450 measles shots through small clinics aimed at Plain populations.