The United States is facing one of its worst measles outbreaks in decades, with over 569 reported cases across multiple states. A new analysis has revealed that nearly a third of eligible young children did not receive their first shot on schedule, leaving them vulnerable to the highly contagious airborne disease.
Measles can be especially dangerous for young and unvaccinated children, with one shot of the MMR vaccine offering 93% protection against the disease. However, vaccination rates have declined significantly over the past few years. In 2024, only 68.5% of children in the US had received their first dose by 15 months of age, a decline from 77% in 2020.
Experts warn that leaving vulnerable populations without adequate protection creates unnecessary risk and increases the chances of outbreaks. “Don’t delay, and particularly not now,” says Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. “Even small decreases in vaccination rates can lead to bigger outbreaks.”
The US Department of Health and Human Services has set a goal of ensuring at least 95% of children in kindergarten have received two doses of the MMR vaccine. However, with over 30% of young children lacking protection from one dose, experts are sounding the alarm.
A recent report by Truveta highlights the urban-rural divide in vaccination rates, with urban areas showing significantly higher rates than rural areas. In rural counties, such as Gaines County in Texas, nearly 1 in 5 incoming kindergartners had not received the MMR vaccine.
The measles outbreak has already resulted in at least 631 cases, with most reported cases being among children under 18. Experts fear increasing hospitalizations, particularly in younger children who are at higher risk of complications.
Overall, the declining vaccination rates and growing number of unvaccinated pockets of the US population create broader vulnerabilities to measles outbreaks. As Dr. Nina Masters notes, “We’re going in the wrong direction… We’re not getting close to bringing this under control, and we’re exposing a situation where there are more kids who are at risk instead of fewer.”
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/03/health/measles-vaccine-first-dose-decline/index.html