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BPHC details infectious-disease priorities: measles preparedness, ongoing HIV cluster response and monitoring for avian flu
Summary
BPHC told the council it is preparing for potential measles outbreaks through school clinics and education, continuing long-standing HIV cluster response in Mass and Cass related to people who inject drugs, and monitoring avian influenza while conducting local testing and wastewater surveillance.
Public health officials told City Councilors the commission is actively preparing for measles, continuing an HIV cluster response, and monitoring avian influenza and other respiratory viruses.
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said BPHC is increasing outreach to raise MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine uptake, coordinating with Boston Public Schools and charter, private and parochial schools to identify low-uptake schools and scheduling vaccine clinics at those sites; she said the commission also plans a citywide vaccine clinic later in summer before school starts.
On HIV, Ojikutu described a linked cluster of newer HIV infections in the Mass and Cass area associated with people who inject drugs; the cluster, first identified in 2018, now includes over 200 linked individuals. The commission said it is working closely with providers and the state, using Ryan White and Ending the HIV Epidemic federal funding to track cases, link people to care, and provide harm-reduction services and pre-exposure prophylaxis.
The commission said it is monitoring respiratory viral infections including COVID-19 and RSV year-round and noted human cases of avian influenza remain rare; BPHC reported no human H5N1 cases in Boston but said it is conducting wastewater surveillance and partnering with hospitals to detect any unusual influenza strains.
Councilors asked about outreach to unsheltered populations and linkage to care; the commission described AHOPE outreach, partnerships with Boston Healthcare for the Homeless and state field epidemiologists and low-threshold housing sites that offer clinical services and support linkage to treatment.
