On Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that a fourth individual has been diagnosed with measles this year, prompting her to urge community leaders, including clergy and activists, to help spread accurate information about the effectiveness of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. “Help us encourage everyday New Yorkers, who want only the best for their families, to get the vaccination, because there are numbers that are still deeply troubling,” Hochul emphasized.
According to city and state data, only approximately 81% of New York's 2-year-olds have received their first dose of the MMR vaccine, despite recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggesting that children should be vaccinated between 12 and 15 months of age. Governor Hochul highlighted that vaccination rates are significantly lower in certain counties, noting that a 95% vaccination rate is essential for achieving herd immunity, as stated by the state health department.
The four reported cases of measles in New York this year—three in New York City and one in Suffolk County—are not related to one another and have been described by Hochul as “not inherently a cause for concern.” Last year, New York state recorded a total of 14 measles cases. However, Hochul expressed her desire to “sound the alarm” early due to the current vaccination rates among young children and the ongoing outbreaks in various parts of the United States and Canada.
The most recent measles case involved an adult in New York City who had recently traveled abroad. According to Chantal Gomez, a spokesperson for the city health department, notifications are being sent to individuals who may have been exposed to this person. There were conflicting reports regarding the vaccination status of the individual. The three previously reported cases involved children who were under the recommended age for their first dose of the vaccine, as indicated by local health departments in New York City and Suffolk County.
With ongoing outbreaks in states like Texas and New Mexico, the CDC reports more than 300 measles cases in the United States so far this year, surpassing the total cases reported in all of 2024. Hochul expressed particular concern about an outbreak in Ontario, Canada, noting that many residents from upstate New York frequently travel there.
Governor Hochul lamented the ongoing debate about vaccine safety, stating, “In the year 2025, we’re still debating whether vaccines are safe.” She took this opportunity to criticize Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently appointed as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, labeling him as the “nation’s leading vaccine skeptic.” In a recent op-ed for Fox News, Kennedy acknowledged the importance of vaccines in protecting individual children from measles and contributing to community immunity, but he maintained that the “decision to vaccinate is a personal one.” He also suggested that “good nutrition” serves as a “best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses.”
As New York faces these challenges, Governor Hochul's call to action aims to mobilize community leaders to improve vaccination rates and protect public health against measles outbreaks.
