NYC Health Department Launches $1 Million Media Campaign, “Ask Questions, Get Answers, Vaccinate”
Campaign Aims to Address Vaccination Delays and Disparities, Encouraging Parents to Seek Reliable Information From Doctors to Protect Children From Preventable Diseases
New Data Reveals On-Time Childhood Vaccine Rates Remain Low with Ongoing Vaccination Disparities
March 9, 2026 — Today, the NYC Health Department launched a media campaign encouraging parents and caregivers to protect their children from preventable diseases by vaccinating their kids. The campaign reassures New York City families that it is normal to have questions about vaccines and urges them to seek reliable information from their child’s doctor. Since 1994, childhood vaccination in the U.S. has prevented over 508 illnesses and 32 million hospitalizations, and saved 1.1 million lives.
This campaign comes when on-time vaccination among the youngest New Yorkers continues to be low. Current data shows approximately one-in-three two-year-olds in NYC have not received all doses of seven recommended vaccines. By the time they start kindergarten, more than 90 percent of children in NYC have received the vaccines required for school, but delays in early childhood vaccination leave younger children susceptible to preventable diseases at ages when they may be most likely to experience severe complications.
"The truth about childhood vaccines is that they save 4 million lives per year by presenting safe and viable solutions to some of the most severe public health issues," said NYC Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. "As misinformation becomes more widespread, it is imperative that we urge families to ask their physicians for answers about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that's based on science, not politics. This campaign is our commitment to ensuring parents have the information necessary to protect the health and safety of one of New York's most at-risk populations--our children."
“Vaccines have saved millions of lives and are one of the greatest public health achievements in history,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. “It is deeply concerning to see low vaccination coverage among our youngest and most vulnerable children, especially as attacks on vaccination by the federal government sow confusion for parents nationwide. As the city’s doctor, I strongly encourage New York City parents to protect their kids from highly infectious preventable diseases that can cause serious illness, long term health complications, and even death. Like many health matters, it is understandable to have questions about immunizations, and I recommend parents talk with their child’s doctor for trusted guidance.”
“At a time when widespread misinformation is causing confusion and distrust for families, it’s critical that parents know that they can turn to professionals for clear, evidence-based guidance,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Health Committee. “Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have to protect children and keep our communities healthy. I fully support and applaud the New York City Health Department for investing in outreach that meets families where they are and addresses the disparities in vaccinations rates we continue to see across our city. Every child in New York deserves to be protected from preventable diseases!”
The NYC Health Department is investing $1 million into a 4-week campaign, “Ask Questions, Get Answers, Vaccinate.” Ads will be placed across television, radio, print news, LinkNYC kiosks, and transportation hubs, focusing on neighborhoods with low vaccination rates. Health care providers across New York City who are a part of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, a federally-funded initiative that ensures children can access necessary vaccines free of cost, will also be provided posters and handouts to share with families. In addition, to further support parents and caregivers, the NYC Health Department launched a new webpage to accompany the campaign. The webpage provides detailed answers to common questions about vaccines and includes links to other trusted vaccination resources.
Vaccination Coverage Data
Updated twice each year, the NYC Childhood Vaccination Data Explorer provides estimated percentages of New York City children who have received recommended vaccines and breaks down the data by race and ethnicity, borough, and ZIP code.
According to the most recent data available, the NYC Childhood Vaccine Data Explorer shows that, as of December 31, 2025:
- 61 percent of 2-year-olds received all doses of 7 recommended vaccines, called the combined 7-vaccine series.
- 89 percent of 2-year-olds received at least one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
While coverage has remained relatively steady over the past five years, high rates of vaccination are needed to protect our communities, including children too young to be vaccinated and people who have compromised immune systems. The data also show striking differences by neighborhood and race and ethnicity for New York City’s children, including:
- Staten Island and Brooklyn have the lowest vaccination coverage (50 and 52 percent respectively, for the combined 7-vaccine series).
- Non-Hispanic Asian children have the highest vaccination coverage (86 percent for the combined 7-vaccine series).
- Non-Hispanic White children have the lowest vaccination coverage (46 percent for the combined 7-vaccine series).
These data are preliminary and may change as more reports are received and as population estimates change.
Vaccination Recommendations
As the federal administration weakens vaccination recommendations, the NYC Health Department recommends New Yorkers and their health care providers follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2026 childhood and adolescent immunization schedules. There is no new data that supports the recent changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization schedules. By contrast, the AAP childhood and adolescent immunization schedules continue to recommend immunizations based on rigorous research and the specific disease risks and health care delivery context in the U.S.
All New York City children must receive certain vaccinations, including DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis), poliovirus, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis B, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), and PCV (pneumococcus) to attend school, day care, and summer camp in NYC. Vaccination against flu is also required to attend day care in NYC. Health care providers should discuss with parents the importance of vaccinating their children on time to ensure the best protection against serious preventable illness.
Families who plan to travel should also contact their child’s provider to make sure their child has all necessary vaccinations, which may include early or extra doses of a vaccine. Most primary care providers offer childhood vaccines at low to no cost, including NYC Health + Hospitals. The NYC Health Department Immunization Clinic also offers low to no cost vaccination for people ages 4 years and older. New Yorkers can use the NYC Health Map to find locations where they can receive a wide range of vaccines.
Vaccination Records
The information in the Childhood Vaccination Data Explorer comes from the NYC Health Department’s Citywide Immunization Registry, which contains immunization records for NYC residents, including all children ages 18 and younger. While the webpage features data from the last 5 years, data since 2017 are available for download. New Yorkers can access vaccine records for themselves and their children at My Vaccine Record.
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MEDIA CONTACT: PressOffice@health.nyc.gov