Mayor Bloomberg: Mandatory Flu Shots For NYC Pre-Schoolers

Mayor Bloomberg on Friday defended the new city mandate that kids under five who attend pre-school or daycare get annual flu shots -- a rule critics say is just another nanny-state move by Hizzoner. "We already do vaccinate kids. Its required for measles, whopping cough, chickenpox and mumps. Flu unfortunately kills more than all of those things put together in kids," Bloomberg said on his weekly appearance with WOR radio's John Gambling. "So we required it for children 5 and under at licensed pre-school and day center to get flu shots. Somebody, someplace, I forget who it was -- might have been an elected official -- said, 'Oh, it causes autism.' ... It is just literally not true," Bloomberg said. "I can tell you what does kill kids is no flu shot," Hizzoner continued. "I don't know whether they think its cute to go out and yell and scream, but you really hurt people." Opponents of the compulsory shots -- including autism activists suspicious of vaccination complications -- protested on the steps of City Hall Tuesday, calling the requirement intrusive and absurd...more