State Health Commissioner Visits the 2025 Great New York State Fair, Meets With Local Health Leaders in Central New York

Commissioner McDonald's Visit Includes Stops at the DOH Exhibition Booth, Dairy and Horticulture Buildings, and Infirmary

State Health Commissioner Meets with Various County Health Leaders

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 26, 2025) – State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald today met with local health leaders in Central New York to discuss various issues in public health and visited the 2025 Great New York State Fair, an annual celebration of history and tradition in New York.

"The State Health Department is proud to participate in the Great New York State Fair, where we can provide education on a variety of public health initiatives and discuss careers in public health with thousands of visitors." State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "We encourage all fair goers to stop by the New York State Department of Health booth located in the Science and Industry Building and take the opportunity to speak with Department staff about ways to stay safe and healthy like preventing mosquito and tick-borne illnesses, how to properly administer naloxone, lead poisoning prevention and more."

Commissioner McDonald met with staff at the Department's booth located in the Science & Industry Building, where visitors can learn about careers in public health and meet with staff from across the Department, like the Center for Community Health, who provide education on tick, mosquito and animal bite prevention.

The Department's booth includes information on NY State of Health, the State's official health plan Marketplace. Local NY State of Health enrollment assistors are available at the booth throughout the Fair to educate New Yorkers about quality health insurance options available through the Marketplace including Medicaid, Child Health Plus, the Essential Plan and Qualified Health Plans.

The Office of Drug User Health is available to provide naloxone as well as training on how to reverse an opioid overdose. Materials on harm reduction, drug user health and the Buprenorphine Assistance Program (Bupe-AP) are also available. Bupe-AP allows individuals who are uninsured or underinsured to access buprenorphine at no cost.

The Department's booth also provides educational materials from the Office of Sexual Health and Epidemiology and Office of LGBTQ Services on sexual health options including Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), Expedited Partner Treatment information, and Syphilis During Pregnancy FAQs for patients.

The Office of Health Facilities Management staff members are available to discuss opportunities for placement at one of the four DOH-operated skilled nursing facilities that serve veterans and qualifying dependents, and to review the exceptional rehabilitative services provided by Helen Hayes Hospital. Staff members also underscore the many employment opportunities that exist at each facility for health care professionals of all types.

Prior to his visit to the fair, the Commissioner met with local health leaders from over a dozen Central New York counties at the Department of Health Central New York Regional Office. Each county was able to hear from the Commissioner, ask questions and provide a unique update on their recent work.

Each year, close to a million New Yorkers visit the fairgrounds, located just outside of Syracuse, with daily attendance close to 100,000 on its busiest days. To accommodate this attendance level and ensure everyone stays safe and enjoys their time, the Great New York State Fair has its own health care infrastructure. This includes Emergency Medical Services provided by AMR in collaboration with the infirmary and triage center run by Upstate Medical University.

More than 300 vendors at the fair offer a wide variety of food options. All vendors are permitted and inspected throughout the fair by experienced staff from the Department of Health Center of Environmental Health and the Department of Agriculture and Markets.

For information about the Great New York State Fair, visit here.