The following was written by a Jewish crew member on a volunteer ambulace. Minor edits were made by YWN:
So we just arrived at Columbia Hospital with a baby on board the Ambulance.
The first question as we walked through the door was not what type emergency we have, but what zip code we are coming from.
They stopped us in the hallway, made us put on masks, and waited for the entire ER staff to put masks on.
Three EMT’S and two parents were treated like contaminated people from a 3rd World Country, rushed into an isolation room, before being asked why we are here. Thank God we had a stable patient.
I’m not blaming the hospital. I’m not even sure who to blame for this. But all I know is that this was veryery uncomfortable experience. I’m pretty sure that a non-Jewish EMS unit would not be asked what zip code they are coming from.
So before you go in front of a camera and somehow try to turn your anti-vaxxers agenda into a religious thing or Jewish issue, think about the unstable baby coming into the hospital and treatment being delayed because of your actions.
This is no joke.
You are putting kids life’s in danger because of your selfishness.
A Hatzolah member.
Below is a statement Columbia hospital released last week, regarding policy amidst the measles outbreak:
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
28 Responses
I’m sorry the hospital is right. Unfortunately some of our people in our religion have made us into the laughing stock.
So of course the hospital needs to take precautionary measures as we are the ones to blame for not vaccinating our own bodies.
We are our own worst enemies
Balme the anti vaxxer for anything that’s going to happen! All is on the anti vaxxer…. Why cause he’s aware of some science that you just don’t know…
Wake up guys! We need to stop this hate!
This is an outrage. My son is a Medical Resident at Mt Sinai. He informs me that there is actually an outbreak of Tuberculosis and Cholera among recent undocumented Immigrants who arrive at ER. Yet there is no media coverage of this dangerous outbreak of these deadly diseases, and there is no triage done to this Unvaccinated group for any disease- not Measles, not TB, not cholera, not of them nor their family members upon arrival at the ER. Jews in NYC have allowed themselves to be targeted as an infectious group of a deadly disease. Actually, there have been no fatalities in NYC in the Jewish community due to Measles. By Stopping Hatzalah Ambulances and wasting time in Emergencies triaging for measles, the City is putting Jews lives at far more risk than the very few cases of measles.
Also, There are far more total cases of measles in the Hispanics and African Americans population than among Jews, arriving at NYC hospital ER. As a group, Jews have been targeted in the media as an infected infectious group- this is a very dangerous situation of AntiSemitism.
“Three EMT’S and two parents were treated like contaminated people from a 3rd World Country…”
Do they have same procedures in place every time an “undocumented immigrant” enters the ER, or is this reserved for Frum Jews only???
I never heard of such procedures being implemented for undocumented immigrants many of whom are from 3rd World Countries, most of whom have zero evidence of vaccination! Such practice would be immediately labeled as racist, discriminatory and immoral. And ACLU would be suing these hospitals for discrimination and racial profiling!
But when it’s done to Frum communities of NYC, who are more then 95% vaccinated, that’s – well, has nothing to do with discrimination or anti-Semitism. It’s all 100% legit and it’s all the anti-vaxxers fault.
Frum community has to “wake and smell the coffee” – it 100% anti-Semitism!
One thing I love about liberals is their constant hypocrisy on this very important issue.
Isn’t it ironic that sanctuary cities and stated are the most intolerant to their legal citizens when it comes to vaccination choice and religious exemption.
Thank you for this important letter. I hope that more people will start getting vaccinated.
Blame people in your own community.
Sometimes you just gotta “nip it by the bud”
It is illegal for the hospital to base whether they treat someone as a potential suspect for measles exposure based on whether the persons are dressed Jewishly.
This is causing lots of issues and damage. It is now been known that many pesach hotels are accepting families with unvaccinated children. Specifically, the Raleigh Hotel, because it is a so-called chassidish hotel. For anyone out there that is going to a pesach program: make sure your hotel is checking at vaccination records! You do not want to contaminate or harm your children!!!
Those anti vax ladies were saying its a religious issue because they claim to have been told by their Rov that vaccinations can cause autism. If only some prominent Doctors would persuade the leading Chasidish Rabbanim that such was absolutely not the case, they would sign calls for vaccination and everyone would obey.
Problem is, that there is some substance to the autism claim and until its proven to be absolutely without side effects, the vaccination issue will be controversial.
Again, the point is missed entirely.
If they are asking based off your zip code, and because you look jewish, thats on the path to nazi germany.
Yes, not vaccinating leaves you at risk for the measles. That is not the point of this whole sugya.
Remember, it started not because of anti vaxxers, and even people who are anti the anti vaxxers have gotten the measles.
The point of this sugya is whether or not we will have Shalom.
The entire nisayon is about Shalom and how we approach this. Are we vehemently hating the antivaxxers? Or can we accept them, and realize the entire measles resurfacing is just to see how we will react?
This is a clear test in our achdus and shalom.
smart place i know baby who died cause of measales this because you cant vaxenate until a year old. the mother went to the park were a kid whit measales was it very dangres
What are the 10 hospitals?
Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.
And babies under 1 cannot get the vaccine so they are especially susceptible
Dear Chevra Hatzala-
You do a tremendous mitzvah and you should be blessed for your actions.
While concern must be placed on the newborn infant, it is just as vital a responsibility for the hospital to place extra caution for the other hundreds of patients they are treating. Considering that many people in hospitals have compromised immune systems- a child or parent with measles; can be a carrier and thereby highly infect much of the hospital in a very short period of time.
While the situation is completely sad, I imagine that the hospital saw either chassidic medics or even scarier for them, chasidic patients. Prejudice while wrong is natural and vital in quick decision scenarios such as took place.
You know as a medic- the first thing to do when arriving at a call is “survey of scene”. Sadly, the anti vaxer movement has become so large in such communities that tremendous caution must be applied. It is sad but try.
Do not blame the hospital. Blame the people causing the prejudice and the damage it is doing for others.
This isn’t Antisemitism! It’s a case where all Jews end up looking bad.
Even if the Antivaxxers were right, the Torah would require Vaccination to stop the Sinah from the Goyim.
Joseph et al, they asked for zip codes because the vast majority of reported cases come from ( I think) 3 zip codes ( Williamsburg and Crown Heights). So any ambulance, regardless of who is in it, is subject to this. Not everything is antisemitic, especially when we’re doing this to ourselves. If people insist on relying on bad information, they have to live with the consequences. They can’t force others to take risks
We are opening the doors to anti semetism when we are so quick to ridicule and loudly criticize our own brethren- without even caring that these are mostly intelligent, educated , and careful parents who have done more to learn about vaccines than the average parent . Can they be wrong? Yes. Doesn’t give anyone an excuse to transgress Torah laws of Loshon hora among many others. And then we wonder why the goyim single us out even though as a group Jews are have a very high rate of vaccinated.
AJ: The hospital is NOT doing this when the ambulance comes from one of the three Williamsburg zip codes is an EMS or other non-Hatzalah ambulance with a non-Jewish looking patient.
They are specifically sniffing our Jewishly dressed patients/ambulances. This is NOT exclusively zip code based.
Columbia Hospital is known for its antisemitism. As soon as they see a Jewish family they try to blame the parents for the injury/sickness & call Deyfus. I know numerous stories where they were called in & the cases ultimately shut because there was no basis.
Also, remember the Metziza story – you guessed it -it was Columbia too…
Health, if it is not Anti-Semitism, then what is?
Even Nazis had reasons to be upset at some secular Jewish bankers for undermining Germany after WWI, yet they went after ALL Jews, and that’s what Anti-Semitism is all about!
Many Palestinians have really good reasons to be upset at some Jews in secular Zionist Israeli Government and IDF for misery they brought up on their families, yet they hate us all, no matter how anti Zionist you are!
Commy -“Even Nazis had reasons to be upset at some secular Jewish bankers for undermining Germany after WWI”
BTW, the Jewish Bankers theories started 100’s of years ago!
Soon you’ll tell me that it’s the cops’ fault what happened tonight in Forest Park.
This is not anti semitism, it’s common sense. Unfortunately there is an outbreak of measles in our communities in Williamsburg and Boro Park. During this outbreak the hospital has to use common sense and protect other patients who have compromised systems. The other communities who don’t vaccinate, don’t get this treatment for the same reason we didn’t get this treatment a year ago, because there is no outbreak. So yes, they are not vaccinated, but without an outbreak of the disease it would be overly cautious to the point of danger to suspect every unvaccinated person may have measles. But we do have an outbreak so if the instance of unvaccinated people coming in is high, there’s a decent chance a person coming in could have measles. I see this as very similar to profiling muslims at the airports. Are all the people outraged by the hospital, going to tell me that they don’t want airports profiling people who are more likely to be problematic? Let’s face it, we have put ourselves into a position where we are suspect for something that makes us uncomfortable, we should still be able to see that the hospital has to use common sense to protect itself.
Joseph, please don’t make up nonsense. The story clearly clearly states that the first question asked was what zip code, no questions about religion. To the antivaxxers, the hospital has to take precautions based upon accepted science, not what you choose to believe
So what’s going to happen in Coney Island during Chol Hamoed, will the chasidim be banned from the aquarium, amusement rides, and boardwalk?
next time when you arrive with patient give a zip code of a different area and all will be just fine…
Health, if police would have arrested all Jews present, whether making trouble or not, that would have been anti-Semitism.
Too Geshmak, during outbreak going by zip code would be fine, the moment you mix Frum appearance into it makes it Anti-Semitic. It’s as if non Jews in those area codes are either 100% immune or don’t set foot in any Frum business establishments.