A growing measles outbreak in the US has raised concerns over vaccine misinformation, with two confirmed deaths and a third under investigation. According to the CDC, all three individuals were not vaccinated.
Despite widespread misinformation about vaccines and autism, most adults (97%) believe that receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine is highly effective against measles.
However, one-third of adults claim that measles vaccines are more dangerous than contracting the disease itself, while another fifth believe Vitamin A can prevent measles infections. Notably, only 4% say they’re “definitely true” to these claims.
Partisan divides are evident on this issue, with Republicans being more likely to believe false claims about vaccine-autism links (35%) compared to Democrats (10%).
In contrast, Democrats are more aware of the growing number of measles cases, with 71% recognizing an increase in recent years. Meanwhile, parents who suspect vaccine misinformation may delay or skip vaccinations for their children.
CDC data reveals that 642 people have been infected in 22 states since January, exceeding last year’s total cases. This outbreak comes at a time when vaccination rates are declining and trust in public health institutions is waning.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/measles-misinformation-amid-outbreak-rfk-jr-poll