A new report finds that New Jersey is among the states least prepared for outbreaks of infectious diseases.
The study released Thursday by the Washington-based policy group Trust for America's Health shows New Jersey stacks up in only three of 10 indicators considered. The study found that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa exposed what it called "serious underlying gaps" in the nation's disease preparedness. It also mentioned enterovirus, which killed five children in the U.S. this year, and antibiotic-resistant "superbugs."
"Over the last decade, we have seen dramatic improvements in state and local capacity to respond to outbreaks and emergencies. But we also saw during the recent Ebola outbreak that some of the most basic infectious disease control policies failed when tested," said Jeffery Levi, the director of the group that authored the study. "The Ebola outbreak is a reminder that we cannot afford to let our guard down."
Only Arkansas did worse, though half the states and Washington, D.C., scored at five or lower.
New York and Connecticut fared better than the Garden State, according to the study, recording six out of the 10 indicators.
The results come months after a 4-year-old boy in Hamilton Township died of Enterovirus-D68. And while New Jersey didn't have a confirmed case of Ebola, officials there sparked controversy when they forcibly quarantined a nurse who had a fever on arrival from Newark International Airport. The nurse, who was volunteering in a Ebola-stricken West African country, stopped exhibiting symptoms after being taken to a hospital and was released after she threatened legal action.
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The areas where the state falls short include getting children and adults vaccinated against the flu and planning for climate change.
New Jersey Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner questions the results, pointing to a different recent study that showed the state with a low infectious disease rate.
New York got credit for preparing for emerging health threats, vaccinating 90 percent of adults for Hepatitis B, planning for climate change and monitoring of HIV and AIDS patients.
The Empire State missed the mark for public health funding, food safety and for ensuring residents get flu shots.
Connecticut got high marks for vaccinating its population for Hepatitis and the flu, food safety and increasing public health funding. The state was below the national averages for health care-acquired infections and HIV and AIDS monitoring.
