With Measles Cases Jumping, Rockland Offers More Free Vaccines

Editor's Note: The measles vaccine clinic is May 17. The date was incorrect in the original version of this report. Patch regrets the error.

NEW CITY, NY — As Rockland County officials continue trying to fight the ever-larger local measles outbreak, they are again offering a free measles vaccine, this time at a clinic May 17 in Suffern. As of May 8, the number of confirmed cases in the county jumped to 225.

There were 206 as of May 1.

County officials had already declared a second state of emergency, mandating people vulnerable to, exposed to or with measles to stay away from all public places, including schools, restaurants, businesses and parks.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said then they were worried about a spike in measles cases after Passover. The local outbreak is centered in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Monsey, New Square and Spring Valley where non-immune visitors to or from Israel brought in the disease and passed it on.

New Square is supportive of county and state efforts to end the measles outbreak, said Mayor Israel Spitzer. Village leaders recognize the urgent need to increase immunization compliance and pledge support and continued collaboration, with the hopes that through increased efforts on all fronts the outbreak will be contained, he said.

This week's clinic will be held from 9 am to 12 pm May 17 at Christ Episcopal Church, 65 Washington Avenue in Suffern, NY 10901.

Health officials urge residents six months and older to be immunized against measles with the MMR vaccine.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on earth; 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus become infected. You can catch measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, up to two hours after that person is gone. You can catch measles from an infected person before they have a measles rash.

"Due to Rockland's small geographic size, exposure to the highly contagious measles virus may occur anywhere in the county. I can't stress enough the importance of being up-to-date with your measles vaccination. It's the best way to help protect yourself, your family, and the community, especially those who cannot get vaccinated because they are too young or have specific health conditions," said Dr. Ruppert.

Since the outbreak began in October 2018, the Health Department together with partners such as Refuah Health Center and private pediatricians and family doctors have administered over 20,000 doses of MMR vaccine.

Free MMR vaccines are also available by calling:

• The Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520 to schedule an appointment to get a free MMR vaccine at the Pomona health complex.
• The Rockland County Department of Health Spring Valley Family Planning Clinic is also providing MMR vaccines, by appointment to Family Planning patients. Family Planning Clinic patients can call 845-364-2531 to schedule an appointment.

MMR vaccines are also available at local health care providers or by calling a local federally qualified health center, such as Refuah or Hudson River Health Care. The federally qualified health centers see patients on a sliding fee scale and by appointment. They may require patients new to their centers to have a well visit first, before a vaccine can be given. Click here to find the locations of federally qualified health centers in Rockland.

The Health Department is actively working to contain the further spread of measles. If you are ill with a fever, rash, or conjunctivitis (red watery eyes), please help protect our community - stay home, do not have visitors, and do not go out in public. If you have symptoms consistent with measles, contact your health care provider, a local clinic, or a local emergency department before going for care. This will help prevent others at these facilities from being exposed to the illness.

"It is critically important that those who are still not vaccinated come out and get this shot as it is the one safe, surefire way of preventing measles," said Day. "I applaud our residents who have received the over 20,000 MMR vaccinations given in Rockland during our measles outbreak; thank you for doing what is necessary to protect our most vulnerable residents from this dangerous disease."

Globally, measles cases saw a 30 percent uptick in 2017 and killed an estimated 110,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. The main reason for the increase in Europe, where 41,000 people were infected in the first six months of 2018, was the refusal by parents to have their children vaccinated, the global health agency said.

The Health Department is asking all health care providers to immediately report all cases of suspect measles to the Rockland County Department of Health Communicable Disease Program staff by calling (845) 364-2997 during normal business hours, or (845) 364-8600 after hours/weekends. Health Care Providers can also call this number for additional information.

Residents can get more information about measles by visiting https://bit.ly/2zh4v1G and by calling the New York State Department of Health toll free Measles Information Line at (888) 364-4837.

SEE ALSO:

• Measles Cases Jump Again In Rockland County
• New Square Officials Urge MMR Vaccinations To End Outbreak