Measles Outbreak in South Carolina Affects Primarily Youth
In South Carolina, most of those affected in the current measles outbreak are children and teenagers, and notably, many of them have not been vaccinated.
While no vaccine offers complete protection, the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is quite effective. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), two doses, typically given at ages 1 and 4, are about 97% effective in preventing measles.
Data from NBC News reveals that the vaccination rate for K-12 students in Spartanburg County stood at 90% for the 2024-25 academic year. This figure is below the 95% threshold recommended by health experts to prevent outbreaks. Similarly, neighboring Greenville County reported a slightly higher rate of 90.5%.
Unfortunately, very few residents in the outbreak area are taking advantage of the free vaccinations offered by the state health department.
This past Wednesday and Thursday, mobile health units were dispatched to Spartanburg to provide free MMR vaccinations. However, only 18 people showed up—split evenly between adults and children—according to state officials.
Dr. Eliza Varadi, a pediatrician practicing privately in South Carolina, highlighted that the outbreak seems to be concentrated in a community with a significant number of immigrants from Ukraine. Many of these individuals arrived in the U.S. with a degree of skepticism toward vaccinations, influenced by their past under Soviet governance. Varadi, who herself hails from Russia, noted that while she hasn’t treated any patients involved in this specific outbreak, she cares for many families from both Russia and Ukraine.
“I find myself needing to reassure families, explaining that ‘yes, these vaccines are safe,’ and ‘no, they won’t harm you,’” Varadi expressed. “There’s a lot of re-education required for families from that region.”
Meanwhile, in Columbia—about an hour and a half south of Spartanburg—some families are actively seeking the vaccine. One health official mentioned receiving calls from parents expressing urgency in obtaining the shot, sometimes even stating, “I want that vaccine, like, yesterday.” During outbreaks, infants as young as 6 months can receive the vaccine, though they’ll need the additional doses later.
On Wednesday, health officials reported that an individual who was infectious visited the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia on January 2, drawing nearly 1,000 visitors that day.
For anyone unvaccinated who has been exposed to the virus, a 21-day quarantine is required as symptoms can take that long to appear. There is, however, an alternative: receiving the vaccine quickly.
“If we identify the exposure within 72 hours—just three days—we can administer the vaccine, allowing your body to develop protective antibodies, potentially preventing the need for quarantine,” stated LaCroix.
This outbreak has also impacted three other states, including Ohio, which has recorded at least three child cases, according to NBC affiliate WKYC.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has noted eight measles cases reported since December, with seven linked back to South Carolina, including five cases in Buncombe County near Asheville.
Furthermore, Snohomish County in Washington state confirmed three measles cases among children who had close contact with a family from South Carolina during the holidays. Dr. James Lewis, the county health officer, expressed cautious optimism about containing the outbreak but acknowledged that further cases are likely.
“I genuinely believe there are mild cases in the community that people are managing at home right now,” Lewis remarked.
The affected children in Snohomish County are all under ten, with none requiring hospitalization.
Albrecht from Prisma Health in South Carolina voiced genuine concern regarding the potential for further spread. “And you should be worried, too,” he added. “Currently, we are facing the largest outbreak in the U.S., and it’s likely to worsen before we see any improvement.”
