51°
The executive order will immediately expand the network of polio vaccine administrators with the addition of EMS workers, midwives, and pharmacies.
It also authorizes doctors and certified nurse practitioners to issue standing orders for polio vaccines, the governor's office said.
Under the order, healthcare providers are also required to send polio immunization data to the New York State Department of Health, which will help local health agencies better focus their vaccination efforts where they are needed most, officials said.
"On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice," State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary 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. Polio immunization is safe and effective – protecting nearly all people against disease who receive the recommended doses. Do not wait to vaccinate.”
Bassett urged those unsure of their vaccination status to contact their healthcare provider or county health department.
Friday’s announcement comes amid a growing number of confirmed polio findings in wastewater samples across New York, an indication that the disease is spreading, health officials said.
On Friday, polio was confirmed in wastewater samples that were collected on Long Island, in Nassau County
In July 2022, the state health department confirmed a case of paralytic polio among a Rockland County resident, the first time it had been seen in the United States in nearly a decade.
The disease has also been found in wastewater samples collected in Orange and Sullivan counties, along with New York City, officials said.
Polio can lead to permanent paralysis of the arms and legs and can be fatal due to paralysis in the muscles used to breathe or swallow.
The most important way for children and adults to protect themselves is to get vaccinated right away if they have not received all recommended polio vaccine doses, health officials said.
Most adults do not need the polio vaccine because they were already vaccinated as children, they added.
More information about polio and vaccines can be found on the Department of Health's website.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Rivertowns and receive free news updates.
