350 Children Vaccinated in Kiyas Tosh After Measles Hits Community

About 350 children in the Tosh Hasidic community north of Montreal have been vaccinated against measles, reported CJ News, after five cases of the disease were confirmed there this summer.

The immunization was offered to those whose medical records showed they were unvaccinated or not up to date, but was voluntary.

Isaac Weiss, who is one of the people responsible for security and public safety in the community, said that “90 to 95 per cent” of Tosh families had their children vaccinated, and community leaders are urging all of its members to do so, reported CJ New. There are about 500 Tosh families in Boisbriand, or 3,000 people.

No one knows for sure exactly how the infection spread, but it is thought that a young man from the community who went to New York to take part in a recreational after-school program may have contracted the virus and brought it back to Boisbriand. It appears that he had been vaccinated, but his shots were not up to date.

The community’s leaders are informing members about the necessity of vaccinations and trying to dispel any fear about the risk of negative side effects.