Decline in Measles Vaccination Rates Post-Pandemic

A recent study indicates that measles vaccination rates among children have dropped in nearly 8-10 counties across the United States since the COVID pandemic.

Conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the study analyzed vaccination records from 2,066 counties in 33 states. They compared kindergarten vaccination rates from 2017 to 2020 with averages from 2022 to 2024.

This research arrives shortly after over 1,000 measles cases were documented in the U.S., reversing the country’s 2000 declaration of eliminating the disease.

The initial outbreak was traced back to Texas and quickly spread to other states, including Kentucky, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, and Montana.

In Texas, the study noted a modest 2% rise in vaccination rates, reaching 82.4% overall.

Despite this, a concerning 742 residents have contracted measles, indicating a gap in community immunity.

Counties like Gaines, Terry, Lubbock, and El Paso reported the highest case numbers.

Kansas has also seen a drop in child vaccination rates in various counties since the pandemic began. Gray County, for example, experienced a significant 23% decline, while Haskell County saw an 18% decrease; Stephens County reported a slight 0.5% decline.

Cases of measles included seven incidences in Stephens, 11 in Haskell, and 25 in Gray County.

In Colorado, vaccination levels have also decreased, particularly in El Paso County, where rates fell by 3.8 percentage points, according to reports. Arapaho County followed closely with a 3.5 percentage point decline. The state has a total of 12 measles cases documented.

The CDC noted that 30% of recent measles cases occurred in individuals under five, with 22% requiring hospitalization. Additionally, 37% of those infected were aged 5 to 19, while 32% were older than 20.

“The general risk of measles in the U.S. is low, thanks to effective vaccination and surveillance programs at federal, state, and local levels,” the CDC stated. They emphasized the importance of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine in preventing outbreaks, also highlighting that 222 cases were recorded nationwide in March.

Furthermore, the CDC advised that all U.S. residents ensure they are current with their MMR vaccinations before any international travel, regardless of the destination.

In light of these health concerns, discussions have arisen regarding President Trump’s proposed budget, which aims to reduce the CDC’s discretionary funding by $3.6 billion.