What to Know
- Rockland County will not renew the state of emergency order issued during its months-long measles outbreak
- Although the crisis is over, officials say, the outbreak is still active with a few recent cases, including one confirmed case Wednesday
- According to Day, since April, when the state of emergency was issues, there has been a decrease in cases month-to-month
Rockland County will not renew the state of emergency order issued during its months-long measles outbreak.
Although the crisis is over, officials say, the outbreak is still active with a few recent cases, including one new case identified as recently as Wednesday.
County Executive Ed Day held a press conference Thursday morning to update the public.
According to Day, since April, when the state of emergency was issued, there has been a decrease in cases month-to-month.
“The number of cases per month has decreased, decreased by 29 percent in May, 63 percent in June and 42 percent to date this month of July,” Day said at the Thursday press conference.
According to officials, so far this month there have been seven confirmed measles cases. In total there are currently more than 280 confirmed cases.
Day went on to say that while the state of emergency has been lifted, certain orders are still in place and will be issued.
“We will not stop until measles has been eliminated,” he said, adding, that a record number of vaccinations have been given.
“We won’t let this to take root in our county again. We will back of the effort with fines and court if needed,” he said.
Rockland County Health Commissioner Patricia Ruppert shared similar sentiments.
“While we are seeing success the outbreak is not over,” she said, adding that the “message remains clear: if you have measles stay isolated.”
Additionally, she reminded the public that walk-in hours for vaccinations are still available at the health clinic.
Local
Day's original state of emergency was issued March 26. In April, he renewed his 30-day state of emergency to combat the measles outbreak that sickened hundreds of people in the county since October.
The first order barred unvaccinated children from schools and other public places. It was struck down by a judge.
County health officials then imposed a more limited order affecting measles-exposed people. It had forced anyone with measles, or anyone had been in contact with someone infected with measles, to stay out of public places.
The state passed a new law in June which only recognizes medical exemptions to vaccines, eliminating religious exemptions.
