Albany County is expanding efforts to support maternal health.
County Legislature Chair Joanne Cunningham says $150,000 in county Improvement Initiative funding will support the Department of Health’s Women and Infants Linking Lifetime Opportunities for Wellness, or WILLOW program. The Delmar Democrat says as a mother of four, she understands the challenge moms face in caring for their children.
“I do remember being shellshocked at, first at all, the stuff that you need to accumulate when you have a baby. And the second thing was how expensive it is. And the third thing was that you always seem to need to bolster your supply. You can think you have enough diapers, but you never do,” Cunningham said.
Deputy Chairwoman Wanda Willingham, a mom of five, says WILLOW is vital. She also spoke in Albany just before Mother’s Day to promote the effort.
“Last year, this program supported 142 families throughout the county. This year, we expect around 200 families to be lifted by everything our partners in the Department of Health are doing with these resources, nearly four families a week are getting what they need,” Willingham said.
Deputy County Executive Mike McLaughlin touted Jubilant Birth Albany, a collaboration between the county and United Way of the Greater Capital Region.
“This initiative provides a comprehensive approach to support low-income families by providing a Universal Basic Income-type support paired with access to prenatal and postpartum education and services,” McLaughlin said.
He says access to such programs is vital.
“According to the New York State Department of Health, perinatal and infant community health collaborative programs like WILLOW have led to a 21 percent increase in postpartum visits, a 46 percent improvement in first-trimester prenatal care, and a 39 percent rise in birth plan completion with a community health worker,” McLaughlin said.
Interim County Health Commissioner Maribeth Miller says vaccination is a key part of any public health measure, especially with measles starting to spread throughout the U.S. again.
“Vaccines are one of the greatest public health successes in the 20th century. They save millions of lives and virtually eliminate diseases that once devastated families. So we urge you to talk to families, to talk to providers. Get vaccinated, get our community protected,” Miller said.
The outbreak is taking place as vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. runs the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
Willingham says her older sister died of measles when she was a kid, and adds public vaccination campaigns are nothing new.
“I remember when we all had to go to school, and that's where we got our polio vaccinations. So this was something that was done nationwide, and it was done in schools. And so, to have that taken away from us now because people don't really know anything about it, or because so many of us have been vaccinated, so many of us have had our children vaccinated, that we don't believe that it's something that is real and dangerous. Well, it is real and dangerous, and we cannot allow ourselves to go backwards,” Willingham said.
According to the New York state Department of Health:
You are considered vaccinated against measles if you have written proof of 2 valid doses of MMR vaccine, or other live, measles-containing vaccine.
You are also considered vaccinated against measles if you have a lab report of immunity, or you were born before 1957.
Anyone who has not been vaccinated against measles should receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are recommended for all children and adults. This includes, in particular, health care personnel, college students, and international travelers. The doses should be given at least 28 days apart.
Vaccines are available from pediatricians and other health care providers.
We recommend that all children get 2 doses of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine.
Children should get their first MMR shot at 12 through 15 months old (as soon as possible within this time-period). The second dose may be given as soon as one month after the first dose. But it is usually given between 4 and 6 years of age.
An early dose of MMR vaccine is recommended for children 6-11 months of age who will be traveling internationally or in an outbreak setting. These children will still need the 2 routine doses given at 12-15 months and 4 to 6 years of age to ensure protection. Therefore, they will receive a total of 3 MMR vaccines. Two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective.
According to the state Department of Health, 83.2 percent of Albany County children have received a dose of the MMR vaccine by age 2. The statewide rate was 81.2 percent as of January 1st.
