news release
ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive  SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director of Communications

 

CONTACT:    SUSAN TOLCHIN                                                                            (914) 285-2932

                        DONNA GREENE                                                                            (914) 285-2935

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       

                                                                                                                                    Aug. 1, 2000

 

COUNTY HEALTH COMMISSIONER REAFFIRMS NEED TO  SPRAY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF WEST NILE VIIRUS; SAYS PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIRES STRONG MEASURES

 

            County Health Commissioner  Dr. Joshua Lipsman today reconfirmed his support for the County decision to spray to prevent the spread of the West Nile virus by mosquitoes.

            Dr. Lipsman said, “This is a public health emergency. As the health commissioner, I am not going to gamble with the health of the people of Westchester County. Anvil is a product that has been well tested. We are using it in very low concentrations. There is no evidence that it has long-term human health consequences. In contrast, the mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus can kill people. Last year 12 percent of those people who were infected by a mosquito died from it.”

            He added, “We understand the concerns of the public. A decision to spray was not made lightly. It was made upon consultation with the state Health Department and the federal Centers for Disease Control. These agencies, like us, have taken the position that we must protect the public health today.”

            He further stated, “I repeat, this is a public health emergency. It is easy for others to second-guess us, tell us what we should or should not do. The burden of a wrong decision – no action that causes the death of someone – does not rest with the  ‘second guessers.’  It rests with us.”  

            Weather-permitting, spraying is scheduled to continue tonight in: Yonkers, Greenburgh (unincorporated area) Ardsley, Elmsford, White Plains, City of Rye, Harrison, Mamaroneck Village, North Salem, Westchester Community College, Somers, Ossining town and village, Briarcliff Manor, Hastings-on-Hudson and Dobbs Ferry . All spraying will take place between 11:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. 

 

 

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