New City, NY, – As of Monday, January 9, 2023, 14,071 polio vaccines have been administered in Rockland since a confirmed case of Polio was detected in a local resident. Of those doses, 77% were administered to children ages 0 to 4, signaling that work by Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH), New York State Health Department (NYSDOH), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to boost vaccinations is working.
“While certainly the number of doses is a strong indicator that our messaging is having an impact, these vaccines are a series leaving us unable to know the full weight of impact until those series are completed which is why it is crucial for schools and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to maintain and enforce these required vaccinations,” said County Executive Ed Day.
“While the NYSDOH reported on 12/30/22 that polio hasn’t been detected in Rockland County wastewater since October, it is critical that families remain vigilant and work to ensure that you and your children are up-to-date on the polio vaccine,” said Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert. “Now is the time to check your own and your children’s immunization status and protect everyone from all vaccine preventable diseases.”
Polio traditionally hits seasonally, as reported, with large outbreaks typically surfacing during summer and is why the County remains focused on getting those unvaccinated or behind on their 4-dose polio vaccine series up to date, particularly infants and preschool-aged children, because transmission of this disease only happens if overall vaccination rates remain low.
“This administration has been addressing the topic of mandatory vaccinations with schools, both public & private, for months and all should be aware that strict compliance is expected,” said County Executive Day. “This responsibility falls not just on schools but on families as well, which is why our Rockland County Department of Health is continuing to have ongoing conversations with local health providers, along with community organizations and religious leaders, which families trust, to boost immunizations.”
Recently, NYSDOH & NYSED released a joint letter to schools statewide, both public and private, of the need to comply with the law and the possible consequences that can result for schools found to be non-compliant. The letter also indicated audits are being conducted as well.
RCDOH is actively working on strategies to increase vaccination rates in Rockland, including working with the CDC and NYSDOH to perform daycare and school assessments and audits.
“This is not the first time our County has dealt with an infection brought in from overseas. Our measles outbreak in 2019 began when seven travelers visited our county while they were infected,” added County Executive Day. “Out of respect for our citizens, and their safety, it is time that the federal government start holding travelers to the same high standards that we hold Americans to.”
Anyone who needs the Inactivated Polio Vaccine can receive one free at our Health Department clinic in Pomona on Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment by calling RCDOH at 845-238-1956.