Will NY become a petri dish for measles? |
In South Carolina, many adults and children now have to worry if they go to the grocery store, a museum or school. Wherever they go, residents — particularly in Spartanburg County — could be exposed to measles, putting themselves and their families at risk.
And South Carolina’s story could easily become Long Island’s.
As of Tuesday, South Carolina’s health department reported 646 cases of measles — a remarkable increase of more than 200 in the last week. The department maintains a chart listing every location where there’s been public exposure to measles: Publix. Food Lion. Walmart. A state museum. A fitness gym. Meanwhile, at least 15 elementary, middle and high schools and two universities have students in quarantine.
New Yorkers might dismiss that situation as irrelevant, since we haven’t had a similar outbreak in years. Last year, New York State reported 48 measles cases, including one on Long Island.
But there’s an effort underway that, if successful, could turn New York........