New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she’s closely monitoring the spread of measles, including cases across the border in Canada and one in Suffolk County. While the overall risk to New Yorkers remains low, she urges everyone to get vaccinated due to how easily the virus spreads.
“I know vaccinations have, for some reason, become a very divisive topic in recent years,” Hochul said. “It pains me to think that in the year 2025, we’re still debating whether vaccinations are safe when, in fact, the scientific evidence is overwhelming.”
This week, the state health department launched a new web portal to track vaccination rates and educate New Yorkers about measles, a highly contagious virus.
State Health Commissioner James McDonald said immunization is the best defense.
“It’s proven. It's been around a long time," McDonald said. "I don't want to be ambiguous about this at all. The Measles Mumps Rubella vaccine is the best protection. Anything else you’re hearing from anybody else is just noise.”
The virus was eradicated in the U.S. 25 years ago but has resurfaced recently as immunization rates have declined. As of Jan. 1, about four out of five Long Islanders have received at least one dose of the measles vaccine.
