Five years ago this month, New York City became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to shutdowns in all five boroughs.
These days, everything seems back to normal and COVID is just another virus to deal with among others. However, the city is now starting to prepare for another potential outbreak: measles.
The contagious virus has seen a rise in cases in recent years, nearly 25 years after decades of vaccinations eradicated the virus in 2000. West Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico have been the focal point, with the number of cases at 317 as of Tuesday, higher than last year’s 285 as reported by Reuters.
Two deaths have been linked to the virus, and 12 more states have reported measles cases. In New York, three have been confirmed in the city with one more in Suffolk County.
Even so, the city is not hesitating about tackling another virus outbreak, and it appears to know what to do if measles cases start to skyrocket.
“We’re pretty prepared for it,” says City Council Member Lynn Schulman (D-Queens), who chairs the Council Health Committee Health. “There are various ways to do what needs to be done, and we have a close working relationship with New York State.”
Schulman says one concern is the Federal government, which she claims does not appear to be doing enough about the measles, referring to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s telling FOX News’ Sean Hannity that “natural immunity” is effective and later saying measles is linked to a poor diet.
That said, NYC has premier hospitals and research clinics that would step in if and when a mass measles outbreak occurs.
“The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has a great staff that does their own science,” Schulman says.
In a statement to amNewYork, Dr. Michelle Morse, acting Health Commissioner and Chief Medical Officer of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), explained how the agency is ready for any potential measles outbreak.
“Disease surveillance and outbreak response readiness are at the heart of the NYC Health Department’s operations,” Dr. Morse says. “On a daily basis, the Health Department investigates a variety of diseases ranging from food-borne illnesses like norovirus to vaccine-preventable diseases like measles. Infectious diseases have no borders, and, as the largest, most densely populated city in the U.S., NYC faces more risks than most cities and is often hit first and hardest. Our outbreak prevention and emergency preparedness work creates an invisible shield that keeps New Yorkers safe. A robust public health department is the city’s best chance at understanding and preventing new and emerging disease threats.”
In the event of an outbreak, DOHMH already has a plan to coordinate with the Department of Education (DOE). Although DOHMH cannot give a breakdown on what it would do in the event of a hypothetical outbreak “as every situation is different,” a spokesperson said, DOHMH explains that “it would work closely with DOE on investigation and response.”
The DOHMH also reassures that MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination rates are very high, with 98% of kindergarten children fully vaccinated with MMR. The vaccine is required under state law before children enroll in kindergarten.
While this all sounds optimistic, the city is still focused on spreading the word about how safe vaccines are and how important it is to be vaccinated. Of the two measles deaths in Texas so far, one was that of an unvaccinated child.
Schulman mentions that many have less faith now when it comes to vaccines, and not just because of the numerous doubts surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines. Schulman says the city needs to combat false information regarding vaccines swarming social media and erroneous articles on the Internet. She wants to do her part on this this summer.
“There will be a hearing on vaccines this summer,” she says. “It’s not calendared yet. But it is in time for vaccinations that start in the fall. Most physicians, in general, agree vaccines are safe.”
This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul launched a web portal promoting information on the measles virus itself and vaccination.
“Measles doesn’t belong in the 21st century, and it certainly doesn’t belong in the State of New York,” the governor said. “It’s critical that New Yorkers take the necessary steps to get vaccinated, get educated and stave off the spread of this preventable disease — the safety of our communities depends on it.”
