Connecticut is taking a wait-and-see approach as its next door neighbor New York battles a measles outbreak by declaring a public health state of emergency.
Connecticut's Department of Public Health isn’t yet ramping up efforts to combat the spread of the highly communicable disease, despite a recent rise in the number of cases nationwide.
This comes as news broke Tuesday that New York City will require mandatory vaccinations in some areas in response to an outbreak of measles.
“I would say that we’re not as worried about it because we have a highly-vaccinated population," said Mick Bolduc, an epidemiologist for the Connecticut DPH's immunization program. "But, it doesn’t mean that we couldn’t see cases in any point in time because you’re never going to have 100 percent of the population that’s fully immunized. There are always going to be people who are either too young to get the vaccine or have medical contra-indications – meaning that they have medical conditions that preclude them being vaccinated.”
Bolduc says recent outbreaks may be due to other states having more exemptions in place for people looking to avoid vaccination.
There have been two reported cases of measles in Connecticut this year – and none since February 4.
Two people in New Haven County were diagnosed – but Bolduc said he can’t give more information about them other than to say “they’re doing fine.”
