New York State Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster state of emergency on Sept. 9 regarding the recent spike in positive polio cases in an attempt to increase vaccination rates.
The governor issued an executive order on Friday regarding the emergency, which allows Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers, midwives and pharmacists to administer the vaccine.
“On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice,” the state’s health commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett said in a statement Friday. “If you or your child are unvaccinated or not up to date with vaccinations, the risk of paralytic disease is real.”
