Rockland Renews Measles State Of Emergency For 4th Time

NEW CITY, NY — Rockland County Executive Ed Day issued a fourth declaration of a local State of Emergency, renewing the third declaration that was due to expire at 11:59 p.m. County health officials have had the emergency measures in place since March to fight the ongoing measles outbreak.

Most recently, the Rockland County Department of Health issued mandatory vaccination orders for all children attending summer camp and all camp staff. Details of those orders can be found here.

The renewed State of Emergency takes effect at 12 a.m. Tuesday and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. July 24.

There have been 275 reported cases in Rockland since the outbreak began nine months ago, and officials said there have been many more.

Nationwide there have been 1,077 measles cases reported in 28 states since Jan. 1, most of them in New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control. These are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring. Measles was declared eliminated domestically in the USA in 2000.

The number of reported cases in Rockland hasn't changed since Wednesday. All the county's emergency directives last until they expire or until there hasn't been a reported case for at least three weeks, at the discretion of county health officials.

Since the original state of emergency was declared, there have been 6,800 MMR vaccinations given in Rockland. That includes not only unvaccinated adults and children but also babies under 1 year old, for whom the vaccination schedule was moved up from the traditional age of 1 year.

Since October, 23,758 vaccinations have been given out in the county, which had at the outbreak's inception a low vaccination rate of 71 percent overall.

“We are making progress against this outbreak and expect to see the number of MMRs given climb higher now that New York has eliminated all non-medical exemptions to vaccination," Day said in the announcement. "Locally we will continue to do everything within our power to combat this deadly disease and bring it to a stop once and for all. We urge everyone to follow the Health Department’s advice; get vaccinated against the measles, and if you are sick with measles please stay home.”

There is no new directive as part of the renewal of the State of Emergency. It does not contain the Measles Outbreak Emergency Directive, prohibiting unvaccinated persons from entering indoor places of public assembly which was rescinded (4/16). The renewal of the State of Emergency enables the continued provision of outside resources to offset the costs of combating the ongoing measles outbreak.

Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said, “The renewal of this State of Emergency allows for the continued efforts of the Department of Health as well as the request of logistical assistance. Both are vital to end this measles outbreak.”

Free MMR vaccines are available at the Rockland County Department of Health, Building A, second floor clinic area, located at 50 Sanatorium Road in Pomona. Call the RCDOH for more information at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520.

SEE: New York Ends Religious Exemptions For Measles

Editor's Note: Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. The term used in the original version of this report was incorrect epidemiologically. You can learn more on the Centers for Disease Control under "The Principles of Disease Elimination and Eradication."