Make Holiday Memories, Not Illness — Check Your Vaccine Status

RCDOH Hosting Vaccine MMR Clinics (Details Below)

NEW CITY, NY, - Rockland County Department of Health advises residents that Rockland County has confirmed a new case of measles. In total, there have been nine confirmed cases of measles in Rockland since August, only one of which is active, and of these, five are outbreak-related, meaning measles spread through community contacts.

Measles is the most contagious disease on earth and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area. About 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus will become infected.

With the holiday season upon us, families and friends are preparing to gather, celebrate, and share traditions. As residents come together, health officials are urging families to take a simple but important step to protect themselves and their loved ones: check your vaccine status. If you have symptoms consistent with measles, contact your healthcare provider, a local clinic, or a local emergency department before seeking care. This will help to prevent others at these facilities from being exposed to illness.

Symptoms include:

• fever
• rash
• cough
• conjunctivitis (red, watery eyes)
• runny nose

“If you have any of the above symptoms, stay home. This will protect young children, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals and help curb the spread of the disease. You can help protect everyone by calling your doctor before your visit and avoiding public places if you might be sick. The best way to protect yourself and others, however, is to get your MMR vaccination”, said Dr. Mary Leahy, Rockland County Commissioner of Health.

Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure, but may appear as early as seven days, and as late as 21 days after exposure. Severe illness and complications like pneumonia, encephalitis, and death can occur in unvaccinated people.

Confirm that you and your family are immune to measles. Check your immunization records, ask your doctor, or consider a titer check, which can be done at a health clinic. If you are not immune or unsure of your immune status, it is best to get the MMR vaccination, unless you are pregnant or immunocompromised.

Free measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccines will be offered to residents six months & older using the RCDOH Mobile Vaccination Van at the following times and dates: 

Wednesday, Nov. 26^th
9:00 a.m. to Noon
Rockland Plaza, 44 NY-59 in Nanuet 

Tuesday, December 2^nd
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Rockland Kosher Supermarket, 27 Orchard St., Monsey

In addition, MMR vaccines are available at local health care providers, such as Refuah Health or Sun River Health, or call the Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520.

For more information visit the Rockland County Department of Health and the New York State Department of Health measles webpages. To get your vaccine, visit www.vaccine.gov.

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