Measles Cases Surge in U.S. as Vaccination Rates Fall

Measles, long considered a disease of developing nations, is resurging in the United States. Declining vaccination rates are blamed as the primary cause, with warnings that America could lose its measles-free status achieved in 2000.

CNN recently reported that 896 measles cases have been recorded from the beginning of this year through the report date, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. This figure more than doubles the annual average of 429 cases over the past decade.

If current trends continue, this year's case count is projected to exceed last year's 2,274 patients—the highest in 33 years. The majority of patients are children and adolescents under 20. Those aged 5 to 19 account for 57% of cases, while children under 5 represent 28%. Notably, 95% of patients had never received a measles vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne respiratory infection. Unvaccinated individuals face over 90% infection risk upon exposure to patients, yet two vaccine doses provide 97% protection.

This high efficacy enabled the U.S. to achieve measles-free status in 2000. Since then, measles has been viewed primarily as a disease affecting developing countries with limited vaccine access.

However, U.S. vaccination rates have declined sharply in recent years. Vaccination rates for measles, rubella, and other infectious diseases among American kindergartners fell from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year to 92.5% five years later. Given that 95% coverage is typically required for herd immunity, this represents a dangerous threshold.

The CDC warned that "if measles outbreaks persist for more than one year, the United States will lose its measles-free status." The United Kingdom, classified as measles-free in 2021, lost that designation in 2024 due to declining vaccination rates.

Some point to the Trump administration's anti-vaccine stance as a factor behind falling vaccination rates. President Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Since taking office, the Department of Health and Human Services has reduced recommended childhood vaccination schedules and cut funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics, which had criticized anti-vaccine policies. Public health experts express growing concern that such policy directions are accelerating the decline in vaccination rates.

[DISCLAIMER] This article was automatically translated from Korean using AI. For accuracy, please refer to the original article.