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Here’s what happened this week in New York public health and why it matters.
Whiplash for the 9/11 first responder program
This week, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) abruptly cut funding to an essential 9/11 first responder health program and fired 20% of its staff — only to reverse its decision two days later following political backlash.
When I think about what defines a New Yorker, one group immediately comes to mind: the first responders who ran head-first into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. While 441 first responders made the ultimate sacrifice, thousands of survivors were exposed to significant amounts of dust, soot, and toxins from the fallen buildings. This has had a dramatic impact on their longevity:
Firefighters who responded to 9/11 had higher overall cancer rates, particularly prostate cancer (39% higher risk) and thyroid cancer (more than double the risk).
They were diagnosed at a younger age (around 56 vs. 59 years old) and were more likely to have cancer detected at an early stage.Rates of prostate cancer in FDNY firefighters exposed to 9/11 (red), firefighters in other parts of the U.S. (navy), and the U.S. male population from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (green). Figure from the Career Firefighter Health Study. (Annotations by YLE.)
We wouldn’t know this without the two-decade-long Career Firefighter Health Study, which tracks the long-term health impacts of 9/11-related diseases. It was funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Cutting this program would limit our ability to understand and provide better treatments for the long-term health impacts our first responders and heroes suffer as a result of their bravery.
What this means to you: Speaking out against programs that are valuable to New Yorkers works. Funding cuts to federal institutions can impact important local efforts to support even the bravest among us. This week, I’ll be calling my representatives to let them know that as a constituent, I deeply value continued funding for the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and research like that carried out in the Cancer Firefighter Health Study. You can find contact information for your local representatives here.
Measles outbreak in Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey, right across the Hudson River from New York City, is experiencing a measles outbreak. As of Sunday, three cases have been reported. The first case was identified on Feb. 9 in a resident with recent travel. Two additional cases were identified last week — both had close contact with the first case. All three cases were unvaccinated.
The New Jersey Department of Health is warning that people who visited the Englewood Hospital Emergency Department on Feb. 9 between 11:30 and 5:30 p.m. may have been exposed and should contact their health provider immediately. The virus spreads easily through the air when someone coughs or sneezes and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area. Given how long it takes for measles symptoms to develop (the incubation period), potentially exposed individuals, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as March 6.
It’s too early to say if this will become a large outbreak, but it’s significant for a few reasons:
Measles is a serious disease. In the ongoing outbreak in Texas (with 90 cases identified), about 1 in 5 kids have been hospitalized.
The three cases are unvaccinated. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection, but unvaccinated kids are likely to be infected if they’re exposed.
Hospital exposure increases the probability of spread, given medically vulnerable patients.
Two things will help, though: 1. These three cases were a family (so hopefully, we can keep it contained to their household). 2. New York has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. This will stop onward spread from getting out of control, as long as it doesn’t hit some tightly-knit unvaccinated communities (which we do have).
New York has had major measles outbreaks in the past — in 2019, 649 people (mostly kids under 5 years old) in New York City were sickened, and 49 were hospitalized. This outbreak was in a largely unvaccinated community. So far in 2025, only one measles case has been identified in New York City, but with cases across the river in New Jersey and large outbreaks elsewhere in the United States, we need to be on high alert.
What this means to you: This is exactly the time to ensure all our children are protected with the measles shot. YLE national also had a few other tips.
Flu in New York: High but slowing down
While the flu has peaked and started declining in New York City, the Metro Area, and Western New York, it continues to increase in Central New York and the Capital District.
Despite some regional decreases, flu levels remain pretty high across the state — we are at about the same number of hospitalizations as during the peak of last year’s flu season. Many New Yorkers are still getting sick with the flu and needing to be hospitalized.
Statewide influenza hospitalizations from the New York State Influenza Surveillance Report. (Annotations by YLE.)
What this means to you: With such high flu circulation, it’s a good idea to take protective measures against getting sick, like wearing a mask in crowded spaces (the subway, supermarkets, while traveling, etc.) and avoiding social interactions if unwell. Flu usually has a second peak later in winter due to flu B circulation (right now, most is flu A), and infections can go into March or April, so it’s not too late to get your flu vaccine at a local pharmacy or clinic.
ACIP meeting postponed: Something to watch
Next week’s national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting — where experts review and recommend national vaccine guidance — has been postponed. ACIP plays a crucial role in shaping the CDC’s official vaccine guidance, which in turn informs New York health departments to determine policies, insurance coverage, and vaccine availability across the United States. Delaying this meeting delays national guidance and policy updates on new meningococcal and chikungunya vaccines and new recommendations for flu and RSV vaccinations.
Thankfully, New York has its own state ACIP, serving as an additional layer to evaluate vaccines and provide guidance in our state. The next New York ACIP meeting is March 6. We’ll bring you any updates from that.
Even though New York has taken a strong stance on vaccination policy, such as eliminating non-medical vaccine exemptions, the state still relies on national ACIP for guidance and may adjust policy in response to the committee’s recommendations, including Medicaid and Medicare coverage and vaccine availability at pharmacies — making it harder for people in New York (and across the United States) to access newly recommended vaccines.
States like New York, should proactively consider the downstream effects of these federal delays, for example, potential impacts on the Vaccines for Children program, which provides no-cost vaccines for eligible kids. Finding sustainable ways to reduce reliance on federal funding and recommendations could safeguard against potential future disruptions.
Stay tuned for updates on this.
Bottom line
Rapid changes in our federal public health systems are directly impacting New York — from threats to 9/11 first responder programs to delays in vaccine recommendations. At the same time, as epidemiologists like to say, “the bugs have ears,” and vaccine-preventable diseases, including flu and measles, are active in our region. We’ll continue to keep you informed as we work to protect our communities.
Love,
Your Local Epidemiologist
Dr. Marisa Donnelly, a senior epidemiologist with wastewater monitoring company Biobot Analytics, has worked in applied public health for over a decade, specializing in infectious diseases and emerging public health threats. She holds a PhD in epidemiology and has led multiple outbreak investigations, including at the California Department of Public Health and as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Marisa has conducted research in Peru, focusing on dengue and Zika viruses and the mosquitoes that spread them. She is Healthbeat’s contributing epidemiologist for New York in partnership with Your Local Epidemiologist, a Healthbeat supporter. She lives in New York City. Marisa can be reached at mdonnelly@healthbeat.org.
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The post Cuts to 9/11 Health Reversed, Measles Outbreak in North Jersey appeared first on THE CITY – NYC News.
