County Health Officials Warn About Potential Measles Exposures At Supermarket

SPRING VALLEY, NY — The Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) is notifying the public of possible measles exposures that happened on Nov. 29.

Those who were at Food Fair Wholesale Fresh Market, located at 175 E Central Ave. in Spring Valley, on that Saturday at any time between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m,. are potentially at risk of exposure.

Health officials are advising those who were at the grocery during these hours to contact their health care provider by phone right away (call ahead before going for care). The recommendation is especially important for those in high-risk groups, including pregnant women, children under 6 months of age, the immunocompromised or immunosuppressed, or those who have not been vaccinated against the measles.

The Rockland County Department of Health will offer free measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccines to residents six months and older. Look for the RCDOH Mobile Vaccination Van at the the site of the most recent exposure. The van will be in the parking lot at the Food Fair Wholesale Fresh Market on Monday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on earth, according to health officials. Roughly 90 percent of the unvaccinated exposed to the virus become infected. You can catch measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, for up to 2 hours after that person is gone, and prior to an infected person even having a measles rash, RCDOH officials said.

Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure, but may appear as early as seven days, and as late as 21 days after exposure. Severe illness and complications like pneumonia, encephalitis, hospitalization and death can occur in those who are unvaccinated.

To prevent the spread of illness, the department is advising thoses who have symptoms consistent with measles to contact their health care provider, a local clinic, or a local emergency department before going for care. This will help to protect others at these facilities from being exposed to illness.

MMR vaccines are available at local health care providers, including Refuah Health, Sun River Health, or by calling the Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2497 or 845-364-2520.

For more information and updated measles case counts, visit the Rockland County Department of Health and the New York State Department of Health measles webpages.