After wastewater samples from Long Island tested positive for the poliovirus, signaling increased community spread of the virus which can cause paralysis, New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency on Friday.
By issuing the executive order, Gov. Hochul has increased resources available for the state to combat viral spread, allows a larger group of medical personnel to administer polio vaccines, and requires providers to send immunization data to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sequence analysis triggered by the detection of poliovirus in a Rockland County resident who was unvaccinated, found polio in a Nassau County wastewater sample collected in August.
The wastewater surveillance of NYSDOH also found poliovirus in stool samples collected in counties clustered in the southeast part of the state – Rockland County, Orange County, Sullivan County, New York City, and Nassau County.
Although the state has only confirmed one case so far, health officials pointed out that for every case of paralytic polio observed, there may be hundreds of other infected people.
In response to Hochul’s order, State Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett stressed that they simply cannot roll the dice on polio, emphasizing the safety and effectiveness of polio immunization and warning of the risks of paralytic disease for those that are not vaccinated or up to date with vaccinations.
The New York State Immunization Information System, which will collect data on which communities need access to vaccines the most, will bolster the state’s polio immunization drive during which polio vaccines will be distributed by first responders, midwives, and pharmacists.
According to Governor Hochul’s office, the vaccination rate against polio of 79 percent among 2-year-old children in New York is significantly less than that in several counties and zip codes.
Unless additionally lengthened by Hochul, the state disaster will last until October 9.
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