Polio: New York declares a state of emergency

On Friday, September 9, New York Governor Cathy Hochhol declared a state of emergency against polio — or polio — according to the media. CNBC. The entire state is affected, including New York City. The goal is to encourage people to get vaccinated against this disease.

The vaccination rate is very low

With this measure, new organizations or health professionals will be allowed to administer the polio vaccine. These include midwives, pharmacists or emergency services.

In some counties in New York State, the authorities consider the rate of polio vaccination to be too low. This is the case of Orange or Rockland, which are 58% and 60%, respectively.

In Rockland County, in mid-July, a confirmed case of polio was recorded. The infected person was an unvaccinated young American who had not traveled abroad, indicating that the disease was locally transmitted in the county. And the symptoms were very significant: he was paralyzed.

Virus in sewage

This case was the first known infection in the United States in nearly a decade. According to CNBC, traces of the virus were found in wastewater samples from New York City and four counties in the state of the same name.

“I urge New Yorkers not to risk, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett explained. The polio vaccination is safe and effective – protecting nearly everyone from disease who receives the recommended doses“.

according to Pasteur Institute, Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by the polio virus that invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within a few hours. Without palliative measures, between 5 and 10% of paralyzed people die of suffocation due to paralysis of the muscles that provide ventilation.

Residual paralysis was observed in patients who survived. More severe cases can have very significant disabilities, including lifelong respiratory support.

Since the 1960s, vaccines have been effective and prevent suffering from this disease.