New Canaan health staff say town is well‑vaccinated as measles spreads nationally; new sanitary planner starts Nov. 10

The New Canaan Health Department said Monday it will be fully staffed on Monday, Nov. 10, when Kelsey McCarthy begins as the town27s sanitary health program planner.

"Our new sanitary health program planner 1 is beginning on Monday, November 10. Her name is Kelsey McCarthy," Amy, a health department staff member, told the Human Services Commission. Staff said McCarthy comes from the town of Monroe, has a public‑health degree from Fairfield University, experience with septic systems and inspections, and is finishing food‑inspector training.

The update also covered contagious‑disease monitoring. Staff noted recent national measles activity — "currently in 42 states, over 1,681 cases," as presented — and explained that wastewater surveillance, a method expanded during COVID‑19, is being used in some jurisdictions to detect measles virus. The department said Connecticut wastewater sites were negative at the time of the report and that New Canaan27s kindergarten and seventh‑grade vaccination rates are in the upper‑90s, above the standard 95 percent threshold used to assess community protection.

"The locations in Connecticut are all negative currently," Amy said when summarizing the department27s review of national wastewater maps. She also noted that Connecticut removed religious exemptions in 2021, leaving only medical exemptions for school vaccination requirements.

Commissioners and staff discussed the origin and spread of recent outbreaks, noting cases reported in Texas, Colorado and Minnesota, and the role of local pockets of low vaccination coverage in larger outbreaks. The department emphasized that measles is vaccine‑preventable and that high local school vaccination rates reduce local risk.

The group also reviewed adverse‑event reporting. "We are required as administrator of vaccines to report to VAERS if anything happens while we are administering the vaccine," Amy said, describing how local reports feed into national surveillance and how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviews trends. Staff discussed limitations of open reporting systems and the differences between immediate reports and events reported months later.

Commissioners asked about other seasonal and tickborne risks noted in the health report. Staff described "Babylosis" as a tickborne illness similar to Lyme disease that is treatable when caught early and reminded residents to do tick checks.

The health department reiterated routine flu prevention measures, noted that flu vaccination remains recommended for children and adults, and said COVID‑19 vaccine guidance is individualized and available at pharmacies. Commissioners were advised to consult personal physicians for vaccine decisions for vulnerable individuals.

The health department presentation concluded with staff encouraging continued monitoring and outreach, and with the department27s encouragement that high local vaccination coverage remains the best prevention against outbreaks.

For more information, the commission received the health department27s printed materials and was directed to state and federal guidance sources presented at the meeting.