New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has confirmed a fourth person with measles in the state this year, calling on communities to help spread accurate information about vaccine effectiveness. The cases are not related and do not pose an immediate concern, but officials are sounding the alarm due to low vaccination rates among young children.
According to data, only 81% of 2-year-olds have received their first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, despite the recommended age being between 12 and 15 months. In some counties, the rate is even lower.
The four reported cases in New York include three children under the recommended age and one adult who recently traveled abroad. With over 300 US cases this year, surpassing all of 2024, experts are concerned about ongoing outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, as well as an outbreak in Ontario, Canada, which affects upstate residents frequently.
Hochul has criticized vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him the “nation’s leading vaccine skeptic” after he acknowledged vaccines’ benefits but suggested personal choice over widespread vaccination. Experts disagree, emphasizing the importance of vaccinations to community immunity and treating illnesses like measles through vaccines, not supplements.
Source: https://gothamist.com/news/4th-measles-case-confirmed-in-ny-gov-hochul-asks-for-help-promoting-vaccination