New York Governor Declares Polio State Of Emergency

September 9, 2022 Medicine, Science

Via press release from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul:



WHEREAS, a case of paralytic polio was identified on July 21, 2022, in an unvaccinated resident of Rockland County who had no international travel during the incubation period for polio;

WHEREAS, the poliovirus that infected the Rockland County individual has been identified as a case of vaccine-derived poliovirus, the last of which was identified in New York in 1990;

WHEREAS, genetically related polioviruses have been detected in wastewater samples collected in Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan counties in April, May, June, July, and August 2022;

WHEREAS, polio was declared eliminated in the United States in 1979, primarily due to high vaccination rates against polio;

WHEREAS, routine vaccination rates against polio across all ages have decreased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine hesitancy has increased;

WHEREAS, vaccination rates against polio among 2-year old children in New York is 78.96%, and is significantly less than that in several counties and zip codes;

WHEREAS, local health departments are actively responding to the poliovirus outbreak through investigation support, contact identification and monitoring, vaccine administration for exposed contacts and focused current high-risk populations, and education and outreach;

WHEREAS, the State government must support the municipalities, localities, and counties in their efforts to facilitate and administer vaccinations and tests for poliovirus, and to prevent the disease from continuing to spread;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of New York, hereby find, pursuant to Section 28 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, that a disaster has occurred in New York State, for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately, and I do hereby declare a State disaster emergency for the entire State of New York through October 9, 2022; and

IN ADDITION, pursuant to Section 29 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, I direct the implementation of the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and authorize all necessary State agencies to take appropriate action to assist local governments and individuals in containing, preparing for, responding to and recovering from this State disaster emergency, to protect state and local property, and to provide such other assistance as is necessary to protect public health, welfare, and safety.

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