The Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday that New York is declaring a state of emergency over its ongoing polio outbreak.
Hochul issued an executive order Friday declaring a State Disaster Emergency, which will allow the state to mobilize additional resources and reduce red tape in its response to the outbreak. So far, only one case of polio has been identified in the state, but wastewater surveillance indicates the virus is circulating among a significant swathe of the population.
BREAKING: Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) issued an executive order declaring a State Disaster Emergency over polio in New York state, per @HealthNYGov statement.
— Madison Muller (@g0ingmad) September 9, 2022
The declaration will allow EMS workers, midwives and pharmacists to administer polio vaccines. All vaccination data will also now be reported to the state department of health.
Hochul said certain people should get a lifetime polio booster, including close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases and those exposed to wastewater as part of their occupation.
“On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “If you or your child are unvaccinated or not up to date with vaccinations, the risk of paralytic disease is real. I urge New Yorkers to not accept any risk at all.”
The first case of polio identified in the state was in a Rockland County man who was unvaccinated. He later became paralyzed. The injected polio vaccine prevents paralysis, although a mild form of the virus may still circulate among the vaccinated. (RELATED: Polio Outbreak Caused Because People Are Literally Ingesting Human Feces In NYC and London)
Experts worry that further spread of the virus could result in it evolving to a more dangerous form. That process typically takes about a year, doctors say.