Westchester Closes Vaccine-Linked Public Health Loophole

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed a bill Tuesday to strengthen the County Health Department’s ability to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.

“This is not a debate over vaccinations. This is not the expansion of vaccinations," Latimer said. "I invite anyone to get the actual law that was voted on unanimously by the Board, read it and you will see very clearly what it does and does not say.”

The amended law empowers the Westchester County Board of Health and the Commissioner of Health to issue orders, adopt provisions of the health code and take other measures to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.

It goes into effect immediately.

“This allows us to be proactive and not to have to wait to declare a state of emergency to take action in case of an emerging infectious disease," said Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD. "The measles outbreak brought to light a shortcoming in our Code that could prohibit the Board of Health from acting in a timely manner, and this bill corrects that.”

Dr. Amler and the Board of Health sought the change to improve their ability to limit the spread of disease, following the largest nationwide measles outbreak in decades.

As of Sept. 19, 1,241 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 31 states in 2019. According to the Centers for Disease Control, this is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1992. Moreover, more than 75 percent of the cases are linked to outbreaks in New York.

“It is so very important for our Health Department to get out in front of unexpected outbreaks of infectious diseases, especially when they appear to be happening more frequently," said Board of Legislators Vice Chair Alfreda Williams. "These changes to the law give our public health officials the legal resources they need to act quickly and effectively to keep Westchester residents safe.”

SEE: Rockland County Only Ongoing Measles Outbreak In U.S.: CDC