Lawmaker Accuses County Exec Of Politicizing Measles Outbreak

NEW CITY, NY — A Rockland lawmaker is accusing the county executive of politicizing the ongoing measles outbreak, something the county executive forcefully denies. Legislator Aron Wieder, D-District 13, said County Executive Ed Day has used the measles outbreak as a political tool against the Orthodox Jewish community and says he must stop immediately.

In an open letter to Day, Wieder said private schools were already complying with the county Health Department's request for student immunization records when the cooperation stopped and the threat of steep fines began — all so that the county executive could make it seem that it was him alone that brought about the compliance.

"The truth is that these nine private schools, some of them with small staffs and shoestring budgets, were already 90 percent in compliance before any threat of fines arose," Wieder wrote. "They had provided the vast majority of student health records and simply needed an additional week to fully complete the information, and they informed the Health Department as such."

Wieder accused Day of making it seem that it was only because of his efforts that private schools complied and that they would not have had he not intervened.

Day, a Republican, responded, saying Wieder's statements were incorrect.

"The fact of the matter is that the Rockland County Department of Health made these decisions without the involvement of my office," he said. "They followed their own established procedures to fine the schools that were not in compliance with the health commissioner's orders to keep un- or under-vaccinated students home from school and provide vaccination and attendance records to the RCDOG during the measles outbreak."

Day also said that Wieder had every opportunity during the first weeks of the outbreak to advocate that residents in his district get vaccinated against measles.

"Instead, he has does nothing, not once issuing a public statement or even sharing information on his social media," he said.

Day said that Wieder has not reached out for more information or to offer his help.

"He even left the legislative chambers before the commissioner of health's recent update to the Legislature on the measles outbreak," Day said.

"During a public health crisis, we expect everyone to comply with the commissioner's orders," he said. "These orders follow state law and are designed to protect public health for the entire community."

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