An ongoing mumps outbreak has recently been declared at the State University of New York at New Paltz, which has caused the state and local health officials to put up some certain vaccination clinics. Currently, the state's Department of Health has revealed that there has already been 63 confirmed or probable cases of mumps at the college which has been reported since last October, and more are still said to be under investigation.
Mumps Outbreak: What Could This Mean?
According to reports revealed by the Herald Courier, the state and Ulster County health officials will be holding vaccination clinics on Tuesday and Wednesday at the college's student union. Reports has it that the state is also recommending students to receive a third dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
Furthermore, in one of his statements, State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker has revealed that there have been 147 confirmed or probable cases of mumps reported statewide this year, as compared to the 24 cases which took place in 2015. Health authorities claim that be far, it's the highest count since 2010, when 663 cases were reported. Recently last month, health officials have revealed that the outbreak had spread to at least one New Paltz High School student.
On the other hand, as Poughkeepsie Journal reports it, the free clinics will be held Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the college's Student Union building. However, experts have highly emphasized that the event will not be opened for the general public. It was found that the clinic has been intended for vaccination of students only, as they are the most vulnerable to contracting mumps due to living in close quarters on campus where sustained transmission is occurring.
Ultimately, the state health department has further revealed that the effectiveness of the mumps vaccine can potentially decrease over time. Experts say that two doses are 88 percent effective in preventing infection.
