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NY measles outbreak more widespread than official count, health officials say
Gothamist • • health
Key Points:
- Measles cases in New York State have reached 126 as of October 10, with officials in Otsego and Seneca counties suggesting the actual number is higher due to underreporting in unvaccinated rural communities.
- The outbreak is concentrated in areas with low vaccination rates, including Amish communities, prompting Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a disaster emergency to enhance testing and vaccination efforts.
- Public health workers are conducting door-to-door vaccination campaigns and sharing information about measles prevention, but some residents believe prior infection negates the need for vaccination.
- State officials have not publicly identified the Amish community as the primary group affected but acknowledge targeting under-immunized populations while avoiding stigmatization.
- The Amish community is challenging New York's strict school vaccine mandates, which do not allow religious exemptions, in the courts, citing religious beliefs against vaccination.
