New York Declares State of Emergency Over Polio Spread

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in an effort to combat the spread of polio.

State of emergency for polio

Hochul announced the move Friday after the virus was detected in wastewater samples collected in five different regions: Rockland County; Orange County; Sullivan County; New York City; and, most recently, Nassau County.

Vaccinations

The state of emergency declaration allows more health care workers, including pharmacists, nurses, midwives, and paramedics, to administer polio vaccines across the state—particularly in areas where vaccination rates have declined. It also requires healthcare providers to provide immunization data to aid the state Department of Health.

New York Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett is urging people who are unvaccinated to get their shots immediately.

“On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice,” New York Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said. “I urge New Yorkers to not accept any risk at all. Polio immunization is safe and effective — protecting nearly all people against disease who receive the recommended doses.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 1 in 100 polio infections will result in severe disease, including potentially fatal paralysis.

Unvaccinated individuals who live, work, go to school or visit Orange, Rockland, Nassau, New York City and Sullivan are at the highest risk of paralytic disease, officials said.

Hochul’s declaration comes less than two months after New York reported the nation’s first polio case in nearly a decade. The patient is said to be an unvaccinated man in his 20s. Officials have not confirmed any additional cases.