New York in State of Emergency Amid Poliovirus Threat: Here's Who Should Get Vaccine, Booster Shot Now

Following the discovery of the virus in yet another county's wastewater in the vicinity of New York City, Governor Kathy Hochul declared Friday that the state was ramping up its polio-fighting efforts.

After the first case of polio in the United States in over a decade was discovered in July in Rockland County, which lies north of the city, health officials started looking for the virus in sewage water. The most recent discovery involves a wastewater sample that was taken in Nassau County, on Long Island, to the east of the city, last month.

State health authorities said the sample, which is genetically connected to the Rockland polio case, gives more proof of the disease's spreading across the population. In the past, the poliovirus had been found in wastewater in the three counties to the north of New York City: Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan.

In accordance with Hochul's declaration of a state of disaster, polio vaccinations may now be given by EMS personnel, midwives, and pharmacists, and doctors may now write standing polio vaccination orders. To concentrate vaccination efforts where they are most needed, data on vaccinations will be used.

Although the percentage of polio vaccination across the state is 79%, it was lower in the counties of Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan. According to officials, it's likely that hundreds of residents in the state have contracted polio but are unaware of it.

Most polio patients don't show any symptoms, yet they can still spread the disease for a few days or weeks. One anonymous young adult who was unvaccinated was the subject of the lone verified case in New York, USA Today reported.

Who Should Get Polio Vaccine?

Per NY Department of Health website, all unvaccinated New Yorkers, especially infants under two months old, women who are pregnant, and those who have not finished their prior polio vaccination series, should get vaccinated immediately. Rockland County, Orange County, New York City, Sullivan County, and Nassau County residents who are unvaccinated or who are not up to date on their vaccines are at the greatest risk of getting paralytic illness.

The sole vaccination for polio, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), is safe and does not contain a live virus. If taken as directed, it protects 99-100% of individuals. According to the CDC, the polio vaccination schedule is as follows by age:

The polio vaccination should be administered to all kids four times. The first dose should be administered between the ages of 6 weeks and 2 months. Thereafter, one dose should be administered between the ages of 4 months, 6 through 18 months, and 4 to 6 years.
Unvaccinated or hesitantly immunized individuals commencing the polio vaccination series after the age of 4 should get a total of 3 doses.
No matter how long it has been since the previous doses, adults who have only had 1 or 2 doses of the polio vaccine in the past should receive the remaining 1 or 2 doses.
Adults who reside or work in the poliovirus-affected regions (Rockland County, Orange County, New York City, Sullivan County, and Nassau County), as well as those who do not think they have received vaccines, should get immunized.

The following New Yorkers who have already finished their IPV series should have one IPV booster shot during the course of their lifetime:

Those who will or may come into close contact with someone who is known to be infected with the poliovirus, their household members, or other close contacts.
Health professionals who work in regions where poliovirus has been identified (Rockland County, Orange County, Sullivan County, New York City, or Nassau County) and who could handle samples that could contain polioviruses or treat patients who could have polio (e.g., urgent care, emergency department, neurology, virology laboratory workers).
People who regularly come into contact with wastewater may want to consider a booster.

Polio Virus Symptoms

It frequently takes an infected individual seven to 21 days before they experience symptoms of paralytic polio. A reported infected individual did not go outside the nation during that time, but eight days before to the beginning of symptoms, he did attend a large event, which officials believe may have been the source of the exposure.

Nearly 260 samples were analyzed from the counties of Rockland and Orange for a study released by the CDC last month. Of that group, the virus was identified in traces in 13 samples from Rockland and 8 samples from Orange, as per Daily Mail.

One sample from Orange county that was taken as early as April showed an incomplete viral sequence. Thus, it could or might not be related to the Rockland County case. Officials from New York City, Sullivan, and Nassau have also verified the presence of polio in wastewater surveillance after the report's conclusion on August 10.