HEALTH DEPARTMENT NOTIFYING RESIDENTS OF POSSIBLE MEASLES EXPOSURES IN MONSEY AND NANUET APRIL 28 – MAY 6

NEW CITY, NY – – With the continued measles outbreak in Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert remind residents of the importance of getting vaccinated. As of May 8, there are 224 confirmed reported cases of measles in the county since the outbreak began in October 2018.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on earth; 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus become infected. You can catch measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, up to 2 hours after that person is gone. You can catch measles from an infected person even before they have a measles rash. Due to Rockland County’s small geographic size, exposure to the measles may occur anywhere in Rockland.

Anyone who visited the following locations or used the following taxis at these times may have been exposed to measles:

– Home Depot, located at 43 Hutton Ave., Nanuet, NY 10954, on Friday, May 3, from 4:00 pm to 5:45 pm, with a risk of exposure until 7:45 pm.

– Maple Pharmacy, located at 59 Route 59, Monsey, NY 10952, on Sunday, April 28, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, with a risk of exposure until 10:00 pm

– Evergreen Kosher Market, located at 59 Route 59, Monsey, NY 10952, on Sunday, April 28, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, with risk of exposure until 10:00 pm

– Rockland Kosher Supermarket, located in the Shoppers Haven Mall, 27 Orchard Street, Monsey, NY 10952, on Tuesday, April 30, Wednesday, May 1, and Thursday, May 2, from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, with a risk of exposure until 9:00 pm on those days.

– Satmar Synagogue, located at 13 Monsey Blvd. Monsey, NY 10952, on Tuesday, April 30, and Wednesday, May 1, from 8:00 am to 9:30 am, with a risk of exposure until 11:30 am.

– Congregation Ohel Yakov, located at 1 Challenger Ct., Monsey, NY 10952, on Tuesday, April 30, Wednesday, May 1, and Thursday, May 2, from 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm, with a risk of exposure until 12:00 am on Friday May 3.

Taxis:

– La Familia Taxi on Thursday, May 2, from 4:40 pm to 5:00 pm with a risk of exposure until 7:00 pm.

-La Familia Taxi on Thursday, May 2, from 6:00 pm to 6:20 pm, with a risk of exposure until 8:20 pm.

– La Familia Taxi on Monday, May 6, from 8:40 am to 9:00 am, with a risk of exposure until 11:00 am.

These times reflect the period that the infected individuals were in these areas and a two-hour period after they left the areas, because the virus remains in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. If you were present at these locations during these times, especially if you are in any of the following high-risk groups, contact your health care provider by phone right away (call before going for care):

– Pregnant
– A child under 6 months of age
– Immunocompromised or immunosuppressed (when your body can’t fight disease)
– Have not been vaccinated against the measles
– Were born before 1957 and are immunosuppressed

“Being up-to-date with your measles vaccination is the best way to help protect yourself, your family, and the community, especially those who cannot get vaccinated because they are too young or have specific health conditions,” said Dr. Ruppert. Since the outbreak began, the Health Department together with partners such as Refuah Health Center and private pediatricians and family doctors have administered over 20,000 doses of MMR vaccine.

Free measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccines are available for residents six months and older on Friday, May 17, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the at the Christ Episcopal Church, located at 65 Washington Avenue in Suffern, NY 10901. Free MMR vaccines are also available by calling:

The Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520 to schedule an appointment to get a free MMR vaccine at the Pomona health complex.
The Rockland County Department of Health Spring Valley Family Planning Clinic is also providing MMR vaccines, by appointment to Family Planning patients. Family Planning Clinic patients can call 845-364-2531 to schedule an appointment.