New York Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar has welcomed Governor Kathy Hochul’s September 4, 2025, announcement that she will sign an executive order allowing pharmacists to prescribe and administer COVID-19 vaccines.

In a statement on September 4, Rajkumar criticized the Trump Administration, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for dismantling vaccination infrastructure and turning the CDC into “a circus.” She emphasized that at a time when lives are on the line, New Yorkers cannot afford to have their health dictated by a “DC clown show that prizes pseudoscience over science.”

“That is why I applaud Governor Hochul for taking an absolutely essential step through her common-sense Executive Order ensuring science-based COVID-19 vaccine access,” Rajkumar said. “As someone from a family of doctors, I am proud to have a Governor who stands up for medical science and puts public health ahead of politics.”

However, Rajkumar noted that the fight for public health is far from over. While she called the Executive Order a positive step, she stressed the need for a long-term solution, pointing out that COVID-19 is not the only vaccine under threat. “Other lifesaving vaccines for RSV, measles, polio, and HPV are on the chopping block as well,” she said.

To address these concerns, Rajkumar has proposed the Robert F. Kennedy, Sr. Vaccine Access Act. She explained that New York currently has 30 laws tied to CDC guidelines, covering areas from vaccination protocols to HIV/AIDS prevention and evidence for disability claims. Her legislation would amend these laws to ensure that New York no longer relies on what she described as pseudoscientific CDC immunization guidance.

“Together, we will safeguard medical science, defend public health, and protect the health of every New Yorker,” Rajkumar added.

The Assemblywoman first announced plans to introduce the Act on August 31, framing it as a measure to counter what she called the Trump Administration’s “anti-vaxxer pseudoscience.”

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