Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the result of two measles cases being confirmed in Erie County this month - the first cases in eight years, - U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer was in Buffalo on Monday to demand immediate action in Washington to address measles outbreaks across the country.
Schumer says the Trump administration has facilitated the rapid growth of measles cases after it gutted funding for vaccine awareness and public health, destabilized the infectious disease workforce at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and continues to sow doubt about the safety of the measles vaccine.
“The Trump administration has taken a wrecking ball to programs that keep New Yorkers safe from measles, and Erie County is paying the price,” said Schumer during Monday's press conference in front of the Erie County Department of Health main offices. “That’s because under Secretary [Robert F.] Kennedy’s leadership, the Trump administration has walked our country into the nation’s largest surge of measles outbreaks in 33 years. Firing vaccine experts, gutting public health funding, and undermining vaccines isn’t reform. It’s reckless, radical, and rooted in conspiracy, not science."
For the second year in-a-row, there have been more than 2,000 cases of measles nationwide, which is why Schumer demanded that Secretary Kennedy bring back CDC experts fired by "DOGE," restore measles-related grants, and boost funding for public health programs to keep Western New York kids safe from measles.
Earlier this month, the first Erie County resident in eight years tested positive for measles in a case connected to international travel. A week later, a second Erie County resident, who had not reported travel out of the county, tested positive for measles in an unrelated case.
Because of the second case, Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein raised concerns that there are probably more unreported cases. This now brings the total number of measles cases in New York state to 13 after a sky-high 48 cases last year.
“Measles is a dangerously contagious virus that represents a looming public health threat. As other parts of the country have experienced intense measles outbreaks in unvaccinated populations, we have been preparing in Erie County,” said Dr. Burstein on Monday. “These two confirmed cases – the first since 2018 in our county – are a powerful warning that highlight our main concern: for the health of people who are not fully vaccinated against measles, or who do not have immunity. This is the time for Western New York residents to know their measles immunity status, take steps to get an MMR vaccine if indicated, and be aware of the most vulnerable people in your lives – unvaccinated infants and children, and people who are seriously immunocompromised."
Amid this major surge in measles cases, Schumer is calling on the Trump administration to take immediate action to protect Western New Yorkers – especially kids. That's why Schumer launched a three-pronged push to fight the measles crisis, which includes:
- Re-hiring CDC experts: The Trump administration and ‘DOGE’ fired one-third of CDC’s workforce, including leaders in measles response and members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), who are vital to curbing the measles outbreak.
- Restoring and supporting measles-related grants: Restore all 40 grants focused on combatting vaccine hesitancy and the $11.4 billion in pandemic response funds utilized by state and local public health departments to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like measles.
- Supporting funding and staff for public health programs: Support full staffing and continued funding for programs like the Wastewater Monitoring Program, including through the renewal of a CDC lab contract, which supports 200 measles testing sites across the country, including two in Upstate New York.
Schumer does believe there is bipartisan support for this push in Washington.
Dr. Burstein says this will be the week where the county is monitoring whether it will see another measles case.
"This is the week where if we have another case, this is when they will present with a fever and a rash. So we're all being very vigilant, we're all on board," she said. "There's something that every single person can do that is watching this. Make sure that you and your kids are up to date with the measles vaccine. If you're not sure, you can talk to their health care provider. In New York State, we have a robust cloud-based immunization registry, so we know what vaccines people have received."
