New York’s Commissioner of Health and Mayor de Blasio just ordered mandatory vaccinations for all people in four zip codes in Williamsburg, Brooklyn who haven’t demonstrated immunity to the measles. It seems like NYC is caving in to its 9th house Neptune, exaggerating people’s fear as well as their reliance on modern science and medicine. It highlights the fact that in almost all broadcast media, science and medicine are universally judged to be both “good” and “right.”

One might understand ordering unvaccinated children to stay home from school, as they also did in Rockland County (though the order was struck down by a judge). I don’t like to court controversy, and frankly I’m not sure what I’d do if I had kids.

This is a disease that 60 years ago was considered “not particularly dangerous in the young, unless they are exposed to a severe drought of cold air. In old age it is much more dangerous and deaths from it are not infrequent.” (World Scope Encyclopedia, 1958) Adults can certainly make up their own minds. In my parents’ day, measles was considered an expected disease that many experienced in childhood (it shouldn’t be confused with Rubella or German measles, which may be dangerous to unborn children).

As of today, the New York City Department of Health reports that there are “285 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens since October.” 228 of them were in Williamsburg, the neighborhood that now has the mandated vaccinations. That’s about 38 cases a month for six months. Not really an epidemic.

Measles comes and goes and has never been completely eradicated. Yet if you listen to our scientifically-minded officials, we’re in a state of emergency. Neptune is leading them to a place of hysteria. We are not talking about Typhoid Mary here!

As astrologers, we know that science generally attacks our beliefs. They are now going further. My objection to the Court Order has to do with the general reliance our society has on western medicine. While we have to admit that they can be helpful at times, my own experience, as well as those of my family and many friends, is that doctors over-test, over-treat and over-prescribe. These things often weaken the body further. And of course the system is in a shambles. I wish I could find a medical doctor who could get to know you and give you sound advice. In my experience, they have always been few and far between. They, too, are squeezed by the insurance companies and are also earning a lot less than they used to.

Any evening news will routinely report on the latest scientific developments and breakthroughs. Most of them relate to pharmaceuticals. What they don’t tell you is that most of these are in very early preliminary trials. And if you pay attention, you’ll notice that they usually exhibit an extremely strong bias toward science. I have yet to read or hear – except in a few special interest publications or independent websites – any opposing views. Isn’t there room for disagreement?

The Saturn and Pluto stations this month conjoin the City’s 4th house Mercury in March, suggesting paranoia and control, and the Nodes are involved in that pattern too. Jupiter is stationing near the midpoint of The City’s Venus-Mars conjunction in Sagittarius, and opposite its Neptune in the 9th: an over-reaction.