Chickenpox outbreak sparks vaccine lawsuit in Kentucky

WALTON, Ken. (WLWT) – A Kentucky family is suing their health department because of an issue with the chickenpox vaccine.

Bill Kunkel says his son Jerome, 18, is being discriminated against because of his religious beliefs regarding a vaccine for chickenpox.

Jerome is a student at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart/Assumption Academy in Walton, Kentucky.

The school was recently the site of a chickenpox outbreak, and extra precautions to stop the spread of the illness were put in place.

All students without proof of vaccination or proof of immunity against chickenpox will not be allowed to attend school until 21 days after the onset of rash for the last ill student or staff member.

All school activities will also continue to be canceled until that time.

Jerome Kunkel is a basketball player. He said he was told he couldn’t play sports, but will be allowed to attend school after the required waiting period.

“The fact that I can’t finish my senior year in basketball, like, our last couple of games, it’s pretty devastating. I mean, you go through four years of high school playing basketball you look forward to your senior year,” he said.

“I don’t believe in that vaccine at all and they are trying to push it on us,” Bill Kunkel says. He says the belief is derived from his Christian faith.