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On Tuesday, April 9, County Executive Ed Day and Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announced that an appeal would be filed against last week’s decision by State Supreme Court Judge Hon. Rolf M. Thorsen that restrains the county from enforcing the state of emergency.
The state of emergency had barred anyone under 18 years of age and unvaccinated against the measles from public places for 30 days or until they received the MMR vaccination.
“Our Department of Health is finalizing the criteria for new orders from our commissioner to keep people who may have been exposed to the measles in their homes and away from public places," said Day. "This is a slight pivot from our State of Emergency, but it is a step we can take very quickly while we wait on the legal appeal. Any violation would lead to significant fines."
Under the new orders being developed, unvaccinated people who have been exposed to measles will be required to remain at home and away from public places, according to Ruppert.
“We are working with our Law Department to ensure fairness but thoroughness in these orders, with the overarching goal, as always, of stopping the spread of this disease," she added.
The number of confirmed cases of measles within Rockland County has risen from 151 when the state of emergency was declared on March 26, to 168 confirmed cases as of April 8.
“Allow me to state unequivocally that I do not agree with the judge’s opinion that this measles crisis does not rise to the level of an emergency," said Day. "We in Rockland are facing the longest lasting current outbreak in the entire nation and the largest outbreak in New York State in 30 years."
Day said during a press conference to announce the new plans that given the fact there have been emergency declarations for snowstorms, then a measles outbreak should be treated the same.
"If this is not an emergency, what is?" Day asked. "While we here in Rockland are trying to stay ahead of what is becoming a nationwide epidemic, we have to deal with flawed logic that gets in the way of public health.”
The county executive added that despite the judge's ruling the Commissioner’s Orders, issued in December of last year, still stand.
That order requires any school with a less than 95 percent vaccination rate to keep unvaccinated students home. Schools must continue to comply or face fines.
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