A New York county has declared a state of emergency over a measles outbreak that has infected more than 150 people since last fall, hoping a ban against unvaccinated children in public places wakes their parents to the seriousness of the problem.
An Orthodox Jewish man walks through a parking lot in Spring Valley, N.Y. Rockland County's measles outbreak has most heavily affected Orthodox Jewish communities, in which vaccination rates tend to be lower.
Under the declaration, which lasts for at least 30 days, anyone under 18 who is not vaccinated against measles is barred from public gathering places, including shopping malls, civic centers, schools, restaurants and even houses of worship. Those in violation could be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail.
The county is experiencing New York state's longest measles outbreak since the disease was declared officially eliminated from the United States in 2000. Health officials say the best way to stop the disease's spread is a vaccination rate in the community of 92% to 95%. Day said only 72.9% of people under 18 have been vaccinated against measles in Rockland County, which has more than 300,000 residents.
Sussman said a quarantine of measles patients and those close to them would quickly stop the disease's spread. "Our health inspectors have been hung up on and told not to call again. They've been told, 'We're not discussing this, do not come back,' when visiting the homes of infected individuals as part of their investigations," Day said."This type of response is unacceptable and frankly irresponsible."
"If you're going to People magazine and Jenny McCarthy and Robert De Niro for your medical advice, you need to reevaluate your life," he said.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists six measles outbreaks, defined as three or more cases, around the country in 2019, including Rockland County's.
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