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New York county bans unvaccinated minors from public places amid measles outbreak

Posted at 1:18 PM, Mar 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-26 15:21:01-04

***PLEASE SHARE***DECLARATION OF A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCYFOR ROCKLAND COUNTYDated: March 26, 2019There exists in this County a State of Emergency related to the outbreak of measles that has been plaguing us since October 2018. It has been found that a meaningful portion of the County’s residents are not vaccinated against the measles, which permits the outbreak to continue. This emergency directive is necessary because the County is experiencing an outbreak larger in size and duration than any outbreak of that disease in this County in many years. Those jeopardized include infants and those with immune compromised systems, including those already suffering from cancer, the elderly and the infirm.I find that I must take this step to protect the public safety of the residents and visitors to Rockland County. I must take this step to protect the infants, infirm, and ill of this County who are unable to be vaccinated against the measles or who are immunocompromised. I must make every effort to protect them. Therefore, in an effort to control this outbreak, and keep the residents and visitors to the County healthy, I declare a State of Emergency and enact this directive pursuant to the powers vested in me by the laws of this State. Pursuant to the powers vested in me, by virtue of New York State Executive Law § 24, I hereby direct as follows:Measles Outbreak Emergency DirectiveI. Prohibitions From the execution of this emergency directive until midnight on April 25, 2019, no parent or guardian of a minor or infant under the age of 18, shall cause, allow, permit, or suffer a minor or infant under their supervision, to enter any place of public assembly in Rockland County, if that minor or infant is not vaccinated against measles for any reason other than being serologically immune to measles as documented by a physician, or prevented from receiving a measles vaccination for a medical reason documented by a physician, or because the infant is under the age of 6 months. II. Definitions Vaccinated/UnvaccinatedFor the purpose of this emergency directive, a person is vaccinated if that person has, at any time, received at least one dose of a medically recognized vaccine against the measles (for example, the MMR vaccine), and four days has passed since receipt of that dose. All other persons are deemed unvaccinated for the purposes of the enforcement of this directive.Place of Public AssemblyA. A place of public assembly shall be a place where more than 10 persons are intended to congregate for purposes such as civic, governmental, social, or religious functions, or for recreation or shopping, or for food or drink consumption, or awaiting transportation, or for daycare or educational purposes, or for medical treatment. A place of public assembly shall also include public transportation vehicles, including but not limited to, publicly or privately owned buses or trains, but does not include taxi or livery vehicles.B. Places of public assembly do not include private residences, unless that private residence, or a portion of it, is permitted by a Certificate of Occupancy, or other governmental license or authorization to carry on one or more of the defining functions of a place of public assembly.C. With respect to the offices of physicians, hospitals, or other medical facilities, no restriction shall apply where the minor or infant is present for the purpose of medical care, treatment, or immunization. However, except in emergency situations, a parent or guardian must call ahead to advise the office or facility that an unvaccinated minor or infant will be coming to the facility or office.D. With respect to minors or infants required by law to be at a place of public assembly, for example attendance at family court or the like, the prohibition shall not apply. However, a parent, guardian, or other responsible person or representative, must call ahead to advise the office or facility that an unvaccinated minor or infant will be coming to the facility or office.

Posted by Rockland County Government on Tuesday, March 26, 2019

NEW CITY, N.Y – The Rockland County government declared a public health emergency order that bans unvaccinated children from public places amid an ongoing measles outbreak in the county.

The order lasts for 30 days, which means children who are not vaccinated, unable to be vaccinated for a medical reason, or are younger than 6 months old cannot be in a public location until April 25.

In a statement posted to its Facebook page, Rockland County said:

“This emergency directive is necessary because the County is experiencing an outbreak larger in size and duration than any outbreak of that disease in this County in many years.”

The county is classifying a “public place” as a place where more than 10 people congregate at one time. There are only several exceptions to the order. Unvaccinated children will be allowed to visit a doctors office to get vaccinated or to receive other medical care. Parents and guardians will also be allowed to take unvaccinated children to family court, but they will be required to call ahead beforehand to warn the facilities about the unvaccinated child.

It’s not clear how the order will be enforced.

The measles outbreak has infected more than 150 people in the community since October. Rockland County is located north of New York City.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)