Measles Outbreaks Expand Amid Falling Vaccination Rates
Measles Outbreaks Expand Amid Falling Vaccination Rates
Following the complete eradication of measles in the year 2000, the dangerous — and sometimes deadly — infection is surging again, amid declining vaccination rates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report 2,170 cases this year, as of July 2, representing the highest number of reported cases in 35 years.
In Utah, which has faced a year-long measles outbreak, fewer than 84% of children have received both doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. In the Somali community in Minnesota, which had a measles outbreak in 2024, only 1 in 4 children had received their 1st MMR shot by age 2.
Adults are increasingly vulnerable to getting measles: the CDC has identified 625 people over the age of 20 who have had measles this year. Last year, 11% of those infected with measles had to be hospitalized.
Speakers this week will discuss the surge in measles cases, the difficulties in controlling outbreaks, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation surrounding the disease. They will also share on the ground perspectives from states with significant outbreaks.
- Patsy Stinchfield, pediatric nurse practitioner and Executive Director of the Measles Collaborative
- Dr. Benjamin Neuman, Professor of Biology, Texas A&M University
- Dr. Andrew Pavia, Professor and Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at University of Utah
- Dr. Jose Romero, Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Romero formerly served as Arkansas’ Health Secretary, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
