The Nassau County Department of Health is advising the public and health care professions that there has been a case of measles in Nassau County. Residents may have been exposed to an individual with measles if they were at the Fortunoff Source Mall or shopping on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst on the afternoon of Thursday, April 3rd. Specific locations where residents may have been exposed are primarily at these stores: At the Cedarhurst location: Verizon Wireless Store, Washington Mutual (WAMU) and Aries Nail Salon between 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. At the Source: Maternity Works, Gymboree, Children’s Place, Old Navy Store and the restrooms between 5:00 p.m. and midnight.
The Health Department will be providing immune globulin prevention injections to individuals at high risk. These are unimmunized pregnant women , unimmunized immunocompromised individuals and infants under the age of one year who were shopping or worked at these sites during these times. Full immunity means two doses of measles vaccine. It is especially important for all these individuals to receive preventive treatment with immune globulin as soon as possible.
All these high risk individuals should contact the health department at 888-844-8657. It is especially important for pregnant women who have been exposed to contact their health care providers as health department personnel need to talk to their obstetricians.. Health care providers who have these high risk patients who may have been exposed to measles may call the Health Department at the same number The Nassau County Department of Health will be providing vaccine to those high risk individuals who have been exposed. This will be provided at the Health Department building, 106 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale, South entrance to the building, between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m..tonight, April 7 through April 9. Individuals should call the 888-844-8657 number to register and get directions.
In the interest of preventing the spread of this highly communicable disease, the Nassau County Department of Health asks individuals who may have been exposed and who have symptoms consistent with measles, CALL their physicians, health care providers or emergency rooms BEFORE going for care so that others are not exposed in a waiting room. The Health Department has notified all emergency rooms, the Nassau County Medical Society and the Nassau Pediatric Society that an individual with measles has been diagnosed in Nassau County.
Measles is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people, or, less frequently, by airborne transmission. Measles is one of the most readily transmitted communicable diseases. Although measles is usually considered a childhood disease, it can be contracted at any age.
Measles symptoms generally appear in two stages: Early symptoms include a runny nose, cough and a slight fever. Eyes may become reddened and sensitive to light, while the fever consistently rises each day. Later symptoms begin on the third to seventh day and consist of a temperature of 103-105 F, and a red, blotchy rash lasting four to seven days. The rash usually begins on the face and then spreads over the entire body. Little white spots may also appear on the gums and inside the cheeks. Symptoms usually appear in 10-12 days, although they may occur as early as seven or as late as 18 days after exposure.
The Health Department also is asking all health providers to report IMMEDIATELY, by phone, any cases of suspect measles to the Health Department, A blood test to confirm the diagnosis should be obtained.
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28 Responses
another chillul hashem.
Chillul Hashem? Why?
red…..why is that a chilul hashem?
why is this a chillul hashem? Where does it say anywhere that it was a jewih person? and even if it was, it is a disease that is not brought on by uncleanliness or anything like that, it is airborne.
If anything, it is good that it is publicized, no matter who has it, to make sure proper prevention is taken for anyone who may have been in contact with this person.
#1 -red-
chillul hashem? what are you talking about. i dont know or think that a person with measles deliberately went out to spread the desease.
I’m not so sure it’s a Chillul Hashem.
According to the secular media, the source is an 8 month old baby who recently arrived from Israel.
Is it the child’s fault that it got measles? Is it the parents’ fault that they didn’t prevent their child from getting measles. I would assume not.
Maybe the child was vaccinated and the immunity wore off or simply didn’t work in the first place? In any event, how would the parents have known?
So why is it different than someone visiting any other country and inadvertently bringing back a virus from there?
What chilul Hashem???? The people that are bringing diseases such as this, tuberculosis etc. are largely illegal immigrants.
The only chilul hashem is that a commie like you (red) is allowed on this website.
what’d they do? come from the 497 bus?
don’t worry, i’m not enjoying other ppl’s suffering – our daughter got it b/c some careless parents didn’t keep their’s home when she had it
I am the mother of the 8 month old baby that came from Israel with the measles. Here are a few points to clarify the situation:
-A baby is not given the MMR vaccine until he/she is 12 months old. No 8 month old baby would be vaccinated.
-There is no way to know if your child has contracted the measles until two to three weeks after exposure. Only then do the symptoms arise. We would have NEVER gone anywhere had we known he would be exposing others to the disease.
-We didn’t visit a doctor’s office since the home we are staying in has a pediatrician who identified his symptoms. We opted to call the Health department, instead of handling it privately, to alert those who might be affected. I don’t think I would consider a public service at great expense to ourselves a chilul Hashem.
Baruch Hashem, our son is currently recovering smoothly.
We wish everyone a chag kasher v’sameach.
For all you people that say it is a chillul Hashem, I am highly offended. The 8 month old baby that brought it from Israel is directly related to me. The parents were in Israel and did not know that the baby had it until it was too late. HOW IS THAT A CHILLUL HASHEM EXACTLY?????? Accidents happen. I think the only chillul hashem here is you stupin ignorant people with nothing better to do with your lives other that critisizing others!!
Apparently you people are not following the news from Eretz Yisroel.Certain chareidi elements are not vaccinating their children.There is an outbreak of measles in yerushalayim.
Red – again, you missed the point. No child is vaccinated before age 12 months. Also, even if someone was immunized and is then subsequently exposed to the active disease, they may still be a carrier of the disease to unimmunized people (or kids under age 1).
Like baby’s mom said – by the time a patient has the symptoms, he/she already was unknowingly contagious for quite some time before.
I guess I will be the first to wish a refuah shlema to this poor baby.
damned if you do…?
I am EXTREMELY impressed by the mother of the 8 month old who chose to ALERT the Health department when they definitely could have kept it private. I have to admit, I would have not had the courage (or energy) to do that.
WHAT AN ENORMOUS KIDDUSH HASHEM!
Wishing your baby a refuah shleimah… how’s the child doing?
Please let me clarify.I am not accusing this mother or her child of making a chillul hashem.The chillul hashem is the fact that these idiots in Yerushalayim who do not vaccinate their children have caused this disease to reach NY.
Relax ppl- that baby is on schedule b/c the vaccine (MMR) is not given till about 12-18months, so that baby may have been immunocompromised.
Relax, everybody. He didn’t mean Chilul HaShem. He meant CRISIS!
Those who are blaming this on certain factions that do not immunize their children may be right. It is definitely not this family’s fault because their child was not supposed to be immunized yet, BUT he certainly was exposed to someone who had not been vaccinated and was carrying the disease. According to the US government, “Measles spreads so easily that anyone that is not immunized will probably get it, eventually.” (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/measles/in-short-adult.htm.
For all those who don’t vaccinate due to unfounded fears, this is a good site to check out, as it is completely unbiased and does an excellent job debunking the autistic, mental retardation, hyperactivity myth.
PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR CHILDREN. EVEN IF FOR SOME CRAZY REASON YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT THEM CONTRACTING THE AWFUL DISEASES, DO IT FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE DON’T NEED TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF YOUR MISGUIDED PHILOSOPHIES. Remember, the only reason why you can afford not to vaccinate your children without worrying about the terrible repercussions is because we vaccinate our children and provide immunity. If everyone would vaccinate their children, we would be able to eradicate horrible diseases, like measles, the same as smallpox was destroyed.
First, to the famliy, refuah shileimah to the baby and yiyasher kochachem for alerting the authorities. Also, I don’t think anyone, in the final analysis said meant to say anything negative about any of you (red said he meant the no-vaccine policy of certain clusters of people in Israel, not you), so please don’t be offended.
There are two lessons I think we can learn here.
1. Hevei Dan Es Kal HaAsam Likaf Zichus. In my previous post, I tried to find a limud zichus, and so did many others. Ashreichem.
We see that, in fact, the mother and child were innocent victims of someone else’s disease and they were not able to take prior steps to avoid this, no matter that they wanted to and would have.
2. Be very careful how you comment (and accept comments during moderation?). When you post something generic like “chilul Hashem”, then that Lashon Hara (if it is L”H) can be taken in different ways by different readers and regarding different people.
Therefore, if you think there is a toeles in writing that something is a chilul Hashem or incorrect or whatever, be specific and clear about what that is, if possible, so as to prevent possible issurei Lashon Hara and unintended hurt to innocent people.
Had the family not spoken up on the blog, no on would have known that they were hurt by certain comments. Only after they said something and previous comments were clarified, did the matter come to its true light.
Chachamim Hizaharu bidivreichem.
These modern-day tree huggers who don’t vaccinate are asking for big trouble. 30 years ago my baby was in the hospital for a few days…I got talking with a mother of a 15 year old boy who was never vaccinated. She took me to see him through the window of Isolation…there he was, in a diaper, in an irreversible coma from the MEASLES VIRUS REACHING HIS BRAIN.
That image haunts me till today.
You people who don’t vaccinate…you are potentially killing your children and others from a disease that should have been eradicated a generation ago. Now of course, we know you don’t give a hoot about other people, but it seems you couldn’t care less about your own kids either.
Hello everyone- I am the pediatrician that made the diagnosis of the baby who is living in my home. Thank G-d the baby is feeling much better but initially was horribly ill. In generally I encourage all parents to immunize their children in a timely matter and not to make independent uneducated decisions that may potentially affect hundreds of others. This baby was not immunocompromised and was a healthy happy baby and is on the way to becoming one again. When babies are born they have are protected by maternal antibodies which eventually wane. Children are not given the vaccination until one year of age. It is very possible that with exposure, a child that is under one year of age and therefore not vaccinated will get the measles. In addition, older patients (most of whom were exposed in the past and therefore are immune, but some are not), small children and patients on chemotherapy or have a suppressed immune system for another reason, are susceptible to the disease. The reason that the measles vaccine is mandatory in this state is because aside from the constant misery that this baby was in, believe me- as a mother myself,watching this baby was heartbreaking, unfortunately there is a very high risk of complications, some of which are life threatening.
Thank you again for all of your concern and once again, please remember that a decision to not immunize your child- especially against diseases which have been around in the past several years, such as mumps (which can cause permanent sterility in males),measles and pertussis (the whooping cough), is not one that just effects you but also effects the rest of klal yisroel.
Refuah Shelaima to the baby.
Is there any way the mother can try to pinpoint what time she was at the stores on Central Ave. Or at least the nail salon.
Could the pediatrician from above (babysmom) suggest what s/he would do with a baby 8 months of age that lives in the area in question? Should parents vaccinate children below one year or just daven for the best? (or ask your own doctor-rav for a pesak) Thanks.
Pediatrician again- please ask your doctor who is hopefully informed- in our practice, and according to the department of health, an exposed baby age 6 months and up should be immunized. The immunization will have to be repeated at 12 months. Was your baby in the area at the correct times? Please check the news sites for exact times. Nail salon is considered an exposure for four hours after they left the salon. Davening is great, making informed decisions AND davening is better.
Re: #14
You seem to have missed the point. The reason this baby, (and presumably others,) got measles is due to the fact that so many people don’t vaccinate their children. This puts their own children and others, especially babies, pregnant women, etc., at risk.
I am a Nurse Practitioner and i have a couple of points to make in this situation. First of all, I hope this child is recovering well with no complication and I wish him a speedy recovery. A note the mother and the pediatrician who discovered/diagnosed the measles—she didnt do us all a “favor” by reporting this disease, the Dr, whether is was her dr or a family friend has a MEDICAL RESPONSIBILTY to report any communicable illness to the Department of Health. In failing do so he is in violation of the New York State Department of Health Communicable Disease Reporting Requirements. So, my point in that is the mother, again, who i sypathize with as I myself am a mother of young children, should accept this incidence but not be smug in her belief that she has done us all some great facor by revealing this diagnosis. This issue is a public health risk and as soon as any health care professional was involved, reporting it was mandatory! Refuah Shelamah and I hope this is the last we here of any infected persons.
Babysmom – can you please let us know what flight you were on from Israel? My friend who is pregnant and may not be immune arrived on Apr. 2 fromIsrael at JFK….Please respond!