Public Health Preparations for the World Cup in New York and New Jersey

As soccer enthusiasts in New York and New Jersey anticipate a summer filled with World Cup watch parties and scramble for last-minute tickets for the matches at MetLife Stadium, NYC’s Health Commissioner Alister Martin is contemplating some possible “worst-case” situations:

Arrival of a traveler at LaGuardia with a grave infectious disease.

A sudden heatwave.

Instances of food poisoning.

Martin mentioned, “If nothing happens, great, no problem. But we should have a plan. People need to be prepped and ready to go.”

City officials state that the regional public health planning linked to the World Cup has been extensive, even for a city known for hosting large events.

Over 1 million individuals are expected to flock to the NYC area for the World Cup, with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, hosting eight matches from June 13 to July 19.

This preparation has included intricate simulations of disaster scenarios, training for healthcare providers about “mass casualty” occurrences, and detailed coordination among hospitals and government bodies in both New York and New Jersey.

Robert Bristol, health and medical director at NYC Emergency Management, noted, “It’s not just one marathon that comes and goes. This is a six-week-long impact across all five boroughs and across the river in New Jersey. It’s definitely been scaled up because of the event’s scope.”

Martin indicated that a special incident command system will be activated on June 1, likely continuing through July, aiming to streamline coordination between city agencies.

“This will facilitate easier communication with our co-agency partners,” which includes NYC Emergency Management and City Hall, Martin added.

Some city health staff are being reassigned from their usual roles to focus solely on readiness for and response to any public health issues that may arise this summer.

These strategies are not only in response to FIFA but also due to various other events happening at the same time, like America’s 250th birthday featuring a significant naval parade, plus annual celebrations such as Pride and the Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Martin stated, “We have a lot going on this summer.”

An advisory issued to healthcare providers regarding the World Cup earlier this month mentioned expecting rises in heat-related illnesses, gastrointestinal issues, travel-related infections, sexually transmitted infections, and substance use.

The World Cup coincides with ongoing monitoring of an Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as a surge in measles cases in certain areas of the United States.

Initial preparations for the World Cup began last June with a four-day simulation. It involved mock patients with “high-consequence” infectious diseases being flown from Toronto to LaGuardia and then taken to Bellevue Hospital’s biocontainment unit to test safety protocols. More than 50 international, federal, state, and local partners participated, as announced by NYC Health and Hospitals at the time.

Other host cities across the nation have conducted similar drills.

Since then, additional simulations for various scenarios have taken place, including one that Bristol referred to as a “complex, coordinated attack.” Bellevue and the Greater New York Hospital Association have also conducted several FIFA-related video trainings.

In March, Bellevue’s training on mass casualty events explored scenarios that might stretch hospital capacities, such as riots and food kept at unsafe temperatures during catered events.

Martin emphasized that ensuring the safety of food vendors will be a primary focus during the World Cup.

This preparation has also revealed some weaknesses in emergency protocols. In New Jersey, the previous method of checking each hospital’s capacity during a large emergency relied on a regional center manually contacting each facility and then relaying that information to first responders, as Jason Bhulai, director of network emergency preparedness at Hackensack Meridian Health, discussed during a FIFA prep call organized by the Greater New York Hospital Association.

“It takes about 30 minutes to an hour to gather all the required info,” he commented.

A more efficient system with set guidelines for patient transport is being developed, according to Claudia Trani-Melgar, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Health.

Trani-Melgar mentioned that New Jersey’s public health preparations for the World Cup involve collaboration among the state health department, New Jersey State Police, Office of Emergency Management, and other federal, regional, and local entities.