{"id":18252,"date":"2019-06-25T14:45:07","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T19:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=18252"},"modified":"2026-02-05T08:16:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T13:16:19","slug":"will-the-measles-crisis-in-the-u-s-be-over-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/will-the-measles-crisis-in-the-u-s-be-over-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the US Measles Crisis Almost Over?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Measles outbreaks across the country have created a public health crisis. Sometimes, infectious diseases spread because we don\u2019t have the tools to fight them. That’s not the case with measles. Growing vaccine skepticism, fueled by misinformation, is largely responsible for the resurgence of this preventable, highly contagious virus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Characterized by an angry red rash, fever, a dry cough and a runny nose, measles can be transmitted via sneezing, coughing or breathing. Complications from the virus can be life-threatening, and according to the <\/span>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a>, 1 or 2 in 1,000 children who have measles will die.<\/span> The introduction of a measles vaccine in 1963 effectively curbed this once common, serious childhood illness. By 2000, cases of measles were so few and far between that the CDC declared the disease <\/span>eliminated<\/span><\/a> in the US. But <\/span>that<\/span> designation could change<\/span><\/a> if the number of measles cases continues to climb.<\/span><\/p>\n

If those were the only people in the country at risk of getting measles, there wouldn\u2019t be a crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So far this year, measles has resurfaced in 28 states, with the majority of cases concentrated in a few areas of the country, including <\/span>in<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>around<\/span><\/a> New York City and parts of <\/span>California<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Washington<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Outbreaks have been linked to travelers bringing the disease back from countries with low vaccination rates.<\/span> As of June 20, the <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a> recorded 1,077 measles cases total. That\u2019s the highest count since 1992 \u2014 and experts say it could indicate a reversal of progress against a disease we shouldn\u2019t still be fighting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctors and public health officials are worried about what\u2019s to come, expressing concerns over the possibility of larger and more serious measles outbreaks, as well as other preventable illnesses making a similar resurgence. Here\u2019s why measles is back, how we\u2019re dealing with its return and what might happen next.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s behind the return?<\/h2>\n

In the US, the measles vaccine is bundled with inoculations against two other contagious illnesses, mumps and rubella; it\u2019s collectively known as the MMR vaccine. The CDC <\/span>recommends<\/span><\/a> that children receive two MMR injections: first, around 12 to 15 months old, and again between 4 and 6 years old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To be fully protected against any of these three illnesses, you need to receive both MMR injections. A few segments of the population haven\u2019t, including very young children and people who have compromised immune systems or allergies to the vaccine. Many adults born before 1957 had measles as children, making them immune to reinfection, but those who never had it remain susceptible. Finally, pregnant women <\/span>who haven\u2019t been vaccinated fully<\/span><\/a> can pass on measles to developing fetuses, potentially leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight and increased risk of preterm delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n

If those were the only people in the country at risk of getting measles, there wouldn\u2019t be a crisis. When a large enough portion of the population is vaccinated against an infectious illness, we\u2019re all protected from it, including those who haven\u2019t been vaccinated. This concept is called herd immunity, and the percentage of people who need to be vaccinated to protect the whole herd varies from one disease to the next, depending on how transmissible it is.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s anybody\u2019s guess how long the current spate of measles outbreaks will last. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For the flu, a 50 percent vaccination rate <\/span>would do the trick<\/span><\/a>. But measles is one of the most transmissible diseases around, requiring a 92 to 95 percent vaccination rate to build herd immunity against it. One sick person with measles will, <\/span>on average, infect 18 others<\/span><\/a>. So we can\u2019t afford to let a swelling number of people opt out of vaccinating their kids.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVulnerable populations like pregnant women and younger children who are not eligible to be vaccinated rely on everybody else,\u201d says Dr. <\/span>Umair A. Shah<\/span><\/a>, a physician and public health researcher who serves as the executive director and local health authority for Harris County Public Health in Texas. \u201cWe\u2019ve taken our foot off the pedal with measles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

New York State agrees. In June, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a <\/span>law<\/span><\/a> banning any unvaccinated children from attending school unless they have a medical exemption. For the sake of public health, Cuomo said, religious vaccine exemptions are no longer allowed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The most commonly cited reasons for skipping vaccination, according to a 2016 <\/span>study<\/span><\/a>, include religious, personal or philosophical beliefs, safety concerns and a desire for more details from medical professionals. Study authors noted that \u201ceducation is a key player in equipping parents with the necessary information so they can make responsible immunization decisions for their children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1998, one <\/span>now-retracted study<\/span><\/a> linked the MMR vaccine to autism. Despite being thoroughly debunked and denounced by autism advocates, the theory has proved hard to extinguish. In April, the <\/span>CDC acknowledged<\/span><\/a> that vaccine misinformation, shared quickly and easily online, has played a substantial role in the return of measles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSocial media is not a credible news source,\u201d says Shah. \u201cThere is a lot of credible information out there, such as through the World Health Organization, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for measles?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s anybody\u2019s guess how long the current spate of measles outbreaks will last. It would almost certainly help if other states followed New York\u2019s lead on eliminating nonmedical exemptions. Still, Shah thinks things will get worse before they get better. \u201cIt will definitely go beyond the summer,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen you get into close settings, which happens during the winter months, typically during the holidays, that\u2019s where you have the potential for transmission as well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To speed up the process of putting measles behind us (again), experts say it\u2019s time to double down on education. <\/span>The government could increase funding for vaccination advertising campaigns, create policies that lower or cancel out the costs of vaccines, and use archival images to show people what untreated measles and other preventable illnesses look like,\u201d says Dr. Beulette Y. Hooks<\/a>, a family physician and chair of the commission on the health of the public for the American Academy of Family Physicians. \u201cMost people living today have not seen the effects of these illnesses on children and adults. If you have not seen how something affects a child, you are more likely to say it cannot happen to my child or grandchild.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, Shah says, current measles outbreaks should serve as another reminder to get vaccinated and stay up to date on immunizations. Even with advancements in medicine, there are so many diseases we don\u2019t understand well. Measles is one we do. Why move backwards?<\/p>\n

The other two<\/h2>\n

Since the MMR vaccine protects against two other illnesses, experts say they wouldn\u2019t be surprised if mumps and rubella diagnoses rise as a result of declining vaccination rates. Mumps, a viral infection like measles, typically presents with swollen salivary glands (those telltale puffy cheeks). Other symptoms include fever, muscle aches and loss of appetite, and severe cases can require treatment in the intensive care unit. Rubella, also known as German measles, can cause a mild fever, rash and headache, says Shah, with complications including meningitis and encephalitis. For pregnant women, contracting rubella can lead to miscarriage or serious birth defects. The US sees <\/span>fewer than 10 diagnosed cases<\/span><\/a> each year.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few mumps outbreaks have already sprung up, Shah notes. As of April 30, there were 1,002 mumps cases in 42 states in 2019. That number is above average, although not unheard of. Since the MMR vaccination program began three decades ago, a few hundred cases of mumps have typically been reported each year, with outbreaks occurring <\/span>about every five years<\/span><\/a>. But it hasn\u2019t been five years since the last outbreak, which spanned 2015 to 2017 and involved about 9,200 reported mumps cases.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond MMR<\/h2>\n

Shah also worries about under- or unvaccinated travelers picking up things like <\/span>whooping cough (pertussis<\/span><\/a>) and <\/span>yellow fever<\/span><\/a>, which can be transmitted to humans via mosquito bites.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the case of whooping cough, a recent Kaiser Permanent <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> suggested that it\u2019s not necessarily just unvaccination or undervaccination, but rather waning immunity since the last time the child has been vaccinated that may be at play,\u201d says Shah.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Americans aren\u2019t routinely vaccinated against yellow fever because it\u2019s not endemic to the US, but travelers can bring it back from parts of Africa and South America. In addition to avoiding mosquitos, Shah says, \u201cIt\u2019s <\/span>important for those traveling to such areas to get the yellow fever vaccine in advance. The CDC makes recommendations, but travelers can choose not to follow them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Unless a traveler is visiting a country that requires yellow fever vaccination for entry, it\u2019s an optional precaution that someone might not take for multiple reasons, says Shah. For one thing, travelers\u2019 vaccines typically aren\u2019t covered by insurance.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Shah hasn\u2019t personally seen any data to indicate declining vaccination rates among travelers specifically, he says he wouldn\u2019t be surprised to see such a trend emerge, given increased distrust of vaccination in general.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quick facts<\/h2>\n