Before I jump into this week’s newsletter, I have to give a shoutout to my mom, who just ran the Boston Marathon. Watching her train so hard, get up at the crack of dawn, and then run 26.2 miles with 30,000 other runners was incredible. I’m so proud of her.
And congratulations to everyone else who left it all on the course this weekend. The videos of runners helping other runners over the finish line, people giving everything they had, and the volunteers, medics, and coordinators making sure everyone stayed safe and cared for—wow. Man, I love runners.
Okay, back to this week’s New York Dose.
I’m covering new data on childhood MMR vaccination, what New York is doing to reduce Black maternal mortality, an environmental win for people fishing the Lower Hudson, and a few spring health updates, including what I’m doing to get ready for warm weather.
New York has long had some of the highest vaccination rates in the country.
But even here, cracks in that strong foundation are starting to show.
In New York City, new data suggest routine childhood vaccination is being delayed. In March, the city reported that about one in three 2-year-olds had not received all doses of the seven recommended vaccines, prompting officials to launch a new campaign in response.
This is the kind of shift that can seem small on paper, but it’s exactly how vulnerability builds quietly over time.
One of the clearest warning signs is measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) coverage.
In 2024, 93% of NYC children ages 24 to 35 months had received at least one MMR dose by their second birthday. In 2025, that dropped to 89%.
Percent of NYC children 24-35 months who received at least one MMR vaccine by their second birthday. Figure from NYC DOHMH. Annotations by YLE.
That matters, especially right now.
As of this month, New York state has confirmed 8 measles cases this year.
Nationally, we’ve already seen how quickly measles can spread in communities with lower vaccination rates (YLE national has covered that here).
And in 2019, NYC experienced a major outbreak with 649 cases in a largely unvaccinated community in Williamsburg.
Even small percentage-point drops matter.
In a city as large as New York, they translate to thousands more children vulnerable to measles if the virus is introduced.
This is one of those issues that can feel abstract until it isn’t.
Delayed vaccination leaves young children vulnerable during the exact years when some vaccine-preventable diseases can hit hardest.
Measles is extraordinarily contagious, and community protection depends on keeping coverage high.
Black Maternal Health Week (April 11–17) just wrapped up across the state, and unfortunately the numbers underlying it are striking.
The week exists in part to address some of the most persistent and devastating disparities in American medicine:
Black women are substantially more likely to die from pregnancy than mothers of other races.
State data estimates that Black women died of pregnancy-associated causes about four times more often than White women in New York. In NYC, it’s about five times higher.
That gap is shocking, and frankly, unacceptable. But New York is taking steps to reduce Black maternal mortality by putting several policies in place to help.
Here are some programs in New York aimed at reducing maternal deaths:
- Postpartum coverage now lasts a full year. New York Medicaid and Child Health Plus extended postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months, helping more families stay connected to care during a period when serious complications can still happen.
- Doula care is covered by Medicaid. New York Medicaid covers doula services during pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum, including prenatal visits, labor and delivery support, and postpartum care. Eligible New Yorkers can find participating doulas in the Medicaid program here.
- New York became the first state in the country to offer paid prenatal leave. Since January 1, 2025, New York has required private-sector employers to provide pregnant workers with 20 additional hours of paid prenatal leave for pregnancy-related medical care. This is the first law of its kind in the country, and it is separate from other leave options.
The paid prenatal leave policy is especially important.
It gives workers paid time off for things like OB visits, testing, monitoring, and other pregnancy-related appointments.
And that matters, because barriers to prenatal care are often not about willingness, but can be about whether someone can afford to miss work. It may mean choosing between a clinic visit and food for dinner, a copay and prenatal vitamins, an ultrasound and keeping the air conditioning on. Policies that reduce the financial cost of getting care are one of the clearest ways to reduce barriers to care.
What you can do to access benefits:
- If you’re pregnant or recently postpartum and on Medicaid, confirm that your coverage extends for a full year after pregnancy.
- If you want labor or postpartum support, check whether you’re eligible for a state-covered doula through New York’s Medicaid doula directory.
- And if you work in the private sector, ask your HR department about your paid prenatal leave rights.
New York State recently updated its fish consumption advice and says you can now eat some fish from the Lower Hudson River for the first time in 50 years. The updated advisory reflects decades of cleanup on the Hudson to lower polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs—a toxic synthetic chemical) contamination enough to meet health guidelines.
The biggest update is for striped bass: pregnant women and children under 15 can now eat one meal per month, and the general population can eat up to four meals per month from the Lower Hudson. But some fish, including carp and smallmouth bass, are still off-limits because of PCBs, so it’s still important to check the specific guidance before eating what’s caught.
For example, there are new advisories on forever chemicals known as PFOS, which apply to Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake George, Lake Champlain’s Cumberland Bay, Seneca Lake, and others. So, if you fish or your family fishes, check the local updated guidance before eating your catch.
This change is a good reminder that public health wins can be slow, and often unglamorous (no offense to the fish). But the fact that we have cleaner water, better environmental regulation, and long-term monitoring for these chemicals—and can see our progress firsthand—is worth celebrating.
Some quick notes on spring health.
Tree pollen is ramping up, with some parts of the state now experiencing high levels. For those with asthma or more intense allergies, it’s a good idea to speak with a health care practitioner about controlling symptoms before pollen makes it worse.
New York state pollen levels. Figure from Pollen.com.
Reducing pollen exposure comes down to a couple key behaviors:
- Avoid pollen outside. Check local pollen counts (like on pollen.com) and limit outdoor activity during early morning and on high-wind, dry days. The best time to go outside is after it rains, which helps clear pollen from the air.
- Avoid pollen inside. Remove shoes before entering your home, wipe down pets, change after being outside, shower especially before bed to rinse off pollen, keep windows and doors closed, and run a HEPA filter.
For a deeper dive, check out my recent post on pollen.
We’re also in the thick of tick season. From now until about October, ticks will be active across New York, including in NYC. If you’re heading to parks, wooded areas, or anywhere with brush and tall grass, use repellent, and do tick checks on yourself, kids, and pets.
Emergency department visits for tick bites in the Northeast so far this year (green) compared to last year. Figure from the CDC. Annotations by YLE.
Last quick segment. I know the weather has been all over the place, from gorgeous 88° afternoons, back to the icy rain we have this week, but I wanted to get a couple things on your radar as we get closer to more warm days.
First, the program that provides FREE air conditioners is now accepting applications across New York state. This is important because extreme heat is NY’s most deadly weather.
To see if you qualify to get a free air conditioner through the Essential Plan Cooling Program, check out the qualifying conditions and application here.
Second, now is a good time to check the expiration date of your sunscreen. The active ingredients that block UV rays in sunscreen degrade over time, reducing effectiveness, increasing sunburn risk, and potentially causing skin irritation or rashes. It’s a good idea to make sure what you have on hand isn’t expired, and replace it if needed.
You’re all caught up on New York public health news. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you next week!
Love,
Your NY Epi
Dr. Marisa Donnelly, PhD, is an epidemiologist, science communicator, and public health expert. This newsletter exists to translate complex public health data into actionable insights, empowering New Yorkers to make informed and evidence-based health decisions.
