New York State declared a state of emergency on September 9, 2022 as a response to the emerging poliovirus situation in the state. While this might sound frightening, this emergency response will help combat the potential spread of this virus. Let’s discuss. The emergency order allocates resources and funds to address the situation. It now authorizes EMS workers, certified nurse midwives, and pharmacists to administer polio vaccines. It requires vaccination records be sent to the state Department of Health in order to identify regions in the state that have unvaccinated populations so that vaccination efforts can be focused in those regions. This will be a coordinated effort through state, local, and national health authorities. It also authorizes physicians and certified nurse practitioners to issue non-patient standing orders for polio vaccines. While most polio infections lead to mild or asymptomatic illness, polio can lead to serious illness, including paralysis and death. One case of paralytic polio has already been identified during the current outbreak. Wastewater surveillance indicates that poliovirus is spreading beyond the initial cases in Rockland County NY. Now, genetically linked samples have been identified in Sullivan, Orange, and Nassau Counties. This indicates that the virus is indeed spreading across the state. Now – if you’re vaccinated, you don’t need to panic. Vaccination against polio is nearly 100% effective at preventing infection and illness (that is true for both oral and injectable polio vaccinations). However, in many of these communities being affected, vaccination rates are low. As of August 1, 2022, Rockland County has a polio vaccination rate of 60.34 percent, Orange County - 58.68 percent, Sullivan County - 62.33 percent, and Nassau County - 79.15 percent. Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan counties have far lower vaccination coverage compared to the statewide average of 78.96 percent. If you or your children are unvaccinated, please – get vaccinated as soon as possible. Through community vaccination efforts, we can stop the spread of a previously eliminated illness and prevent polio from re-establishing itself in the US.