LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim April 24, 2015, as World Meningitis Day in the State of New
York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to highlight days of
awareness which draw attention to important and beneficial causes, and
it is the solemn duty of this Legislative Body to promote the health and
welfare of all New Yorkers; and
WHEREAS, This year, World Meningitis Day falls on April 24, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial form of meningitis, a
serious and deadly infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain
and spinal cord which can cause severe brain damage and, according to
the World Health Organization, is fatal in about fifty percent of cases
if left untreated; and
WHEREAS, Meningitis often starts with relatively innocuous symptoms
such as a fever and a headache, but can escalate so swiftly that some
victims are found dead in bed, without even having the chance to visit a
doctor; and
WHEREAS, Although meningitis outbreaks in the United States are rare,
a serious outbreak occurred in New York City in 2012 which took the
lives of seven people and caused significant concern, especially among
the LGBT community; and
WHEREAS, The spread of the 2012 outbreak was contained because city
health officials conducted an unprecedented outreach, education, and
immunization campaign and encouraged gay men to receive preventative
vaccinations; and
WHEREAS, This campaign demonstrated the effectiveness of vaccinations
at keeping deadly diseases at bay, and is a reminder of human vulner-
ability to these diseases without the proper precautions; and
WHEREAS, The 2012 outbreak led to increased public consciousness of
the dangers of meningitis and spurred the passage of laws such as Chap-
ter 274 of the Laws of 2013, which allows licensed pharmacists and
certified nurse practitioners to administer immunizations against
meningitis; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that
global vaccination of children born between 1994 and 2013 will prevent
322 million illnesses, help avoid 732,000 deaths, and save nearly $1.4
trillion in total societal costs; and
WHEREAS, The United States is incredibly fortunate to have a health
care system capable of maintaining herd immunity by administering near-
universal immunizations against meningitis, a disease which causes so
much sickness, heartbreak, and misery in less developed parts of the
world and has made several particularly worrisome incursions into the
United States; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 24, 2015 as World
Meningitis Day in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.