Polio shows up again in Rockland wastewater. What it means
Polio was detected in wastewater taken in February from Rockland's sewer system. It's the first Rockland sample since October to yield a positive result for the highly contagious virus.
In December 2022, a wastewater test taken in Orange County showed presence of the virus after five weeks' absence.
A Rockland County 20-year-old was left paralyzed by polio in July 2022. The case was the first in decades transmitted in the U.S. He had never been vaccinated against the disease.
State and county health officials had urged caution during a winter lull in polio detection. An enterovirus like polio traditionally hits seasonally. Every summer before the development of polio vaccinations, thousands of children would fall ill with paralytic polio, with spikes often coming in August.
“Because of worldwide travel and low vaccination rates, polio may likely be seen in our area again this year," Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said.
Polio, often asymptomatic, spreads quickly
The upcoming school and holiday breaks, polio circulation found in places like Israel and England, and the itch for post-pandemic travel, has health officials concerned. In northern Israel, an unvaccinated 8-year-old was paralyzed by the virus; several other children tested positive for the virus but were asymptomatic.
Polio is stealthy and deadly: Some 99% of people who contract polio never know they had it; others can be paralyzed or die from the virus.
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Besides Rockland and Orange counties, wastewater testing has detected the virus, at various times, in New York City, Nassau and Sullivan counties.
What to do
Federal officials recommend four vaccine doses: to be given at 2 months of age; at 4 months; at 6 to 18 months; and at age 4 through 6 years.
Even a single dose to start the cycle will offer protection, health officials say. Two doses offer 90% protection. Full vaccination against the virus is considered nearly 100% effective at stopping illness from the virus.
Doctors offices, clinics and local health departments can help arrange vaccinations.
Rockland and Orange counties have had some of the lowest polio vaccination rates in the state for children age 2 and under. Rockland County this month reported that 19,282 doses of the polio vaccine have been administered to residents since the local case of polio was detected, nearly three-quarters among children age 4 and under.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one-time boosters for vaccinated people at high risk. That includes sewer, medical and lab workers in areas where polio is circulating.
Contact your local health department for polio booster information. In Rockland County, walk-in polio booster clinics are scheduled for 9-11 a.m. on Friday, April 14 and April 28.
“Polio is preventable through the complete vaccination series. Our hope is that we will not see another case of paralytic polio as we did last summer," Ruppert said. "I urge all who are unvaccinated or are under-vaccinated to complete their series."
Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy. Follow her on Twitter at @nancyrockland.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Polio found in sewer samples Rockland County, New York
