Measles Outbreak: Westchester, Rockland Counties Offer Free Vaccines As They Struggle To Contain Spread
At A Glance
- Doctors Debunk Measles Myths
- Why 'Measles Parties' Are Bad Idea
- Lawmakers Look To End Religious Exemptions
- Complete Coverage
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – New York's measles outbreak has now infected nearly 500 people.
Lawmakers and health officials urge residents to get their vaccinations. Free clinics will be held Friday in Westchester and Rockland counties.
ACTIVE MEASLES INFECTIONS AS OF EARLY APRIL 2019
- New York City: 285 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens
- Elsewhere In New York: 180 in Rockland County, 17 in Orange County, 8 in Westchester County and 2 in Sullivan County
- In New Jersey: 4 in Monmouth County and 7 in Ocean County
Brooklyn mother Bernadette Serton told CBS2 she's worried about the growing number of cases in the borough.
"It's your children, you don't gamble," she said. "It makes me want to stay away from Williamsburg."
MEASLES HEALTH EMERGENCY RESOURCES
- NYC.gov Measles Information Page
- Where To Get Immunizations In New York City
- Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR)
- Signs And Symptoms
- CDC Measles Statistics
Park Slope pediatric Dr. TJ Gold and other area doctors are trying to bust measles myths that convince some parents not to vaccinate.
"It's been extremely busy, the amount of questions we're having," she said.
"They think measles is a mild viral illness with just a rash and fever," added Dr. Rabia Agha, pediatric infectious diseases chief at Maimonides Children's Hospital.
But in fact, the disease could case pneumonia, permanent brain illnesses and even death.
Web Extra: Doctors Take On The Myths About Measles, Vaccinations
In Rockland County, where there are an alarming 180 cases, there's an ongoing battle over what to do about the failure to vaccinate.
"If we don't slow down this rate immediately, we're going to have a major problem," County Executive Ed Day said.
In Williamsburg and Borough Park, Mayor Bill de Blasio put a mandatory vaccination order in place, which former New York attorney general candidate Michael Sussman plans to fight.
"We cannot have executive overreach by anyone at this time point in time," he said.
Web Extra: Read NYC Health Commissioner's Vaccination Order
The mayor, however, believes his order is working.
"We will beat them, absolutely confident we'll beat them," he said.
The mayor's order threatens unvaccinated people in those communities with a $1,000 fine.
FREE VACCINE CLINICS
Westchester County
April 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
April 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Westchester County Dept. of Health
134 Court St.
White Plains, NY
April 16 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Westchester County Dept. of Health
25 Moore Avenue
Mount Kisco, NY
Rockland County
April 12 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Monsey WIC Office
23 Robert Pitt Drive, Suite 103
Monsey, NY