Tag

Herd Immunity

All articles tagged with #herd immunity

local8 hours ago•30 min saved

Florida Moves to Drop Four School Vaccines, Expands Exemption Options

The Florida Department of Health is moving to remove four vaccines—Hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib, and pneumococcal disease—from public and private K–12 school entry requirements, and to widen religious and personal-belief exemptions. The proposal would apply to both public and private students and opens a 21‑day public comment period before final approval. Health experts warn lower vaccination rates could weaken herd immunity, while some doctors say exemptions and continued individual choice are important, a debate reflecting Florida’s ongoing tensions after Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo signaled an intent to end all school vaccine mandates.

via WEAR-TV|

#florida #hepatitis-b #herd-immunity

health6 days ago•1 min saved

CDC data show record rise in vaccine exemptions among kindergartners as MMR coverage slips

CDC data for the 2025–2026 school year show kindergarten vaccination rates fell again while nonmedical exemptions rose to a record 4% nationwide; 42 of 46 states with data saw higher exemptions, and 23 states had 5% or more. The MMR vaccination rate dropped to 92.4%, leaving about 280,000 kindergartners unvaccinated, and measles cases in July surpassed 2025 totals for the worst year since 1991, underscoring gaps in herd immunity.

via WLWT|

#cdc #exemptions #health

health6 days ago•2 min saved

CDC data show record-high nonmedical vaccine exemptions for US kindergartners

CDC data for the 2025–2026 school year show vaccination rates for US kindergartners declined again and nonmedical exemptions rose to a record 4% nationwide. Exemption rates increased in 42 of 46 states with available data, and 23 states have exemptions at or above 5%. The MMR vaccination rate fell to 92.4%, leaving about 280,000 kindergartners unvaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella. Measles cases are at their highest level since 1991, underscoring concerns about herd immunity amid a new executive order on vaccination guidelines.

via WESH|

#cdc #exemptions #health

health6 days ago•2 min saved

CDC: Kindergartners' vaccine exemptions hit a new high

CDC data for the 2025–2026 school year show kindergartners' vaccination rates declined again and nonmedical exemptions rose to a record 4% nationwide, with 42 of 46 states reporting higher exemptions and 23 states at or above 5%. The MMR rate fell to 92.4%, leaving about 280,000 kindergartners unvaccinated for measles and measles cases reaching their highest level since 1991, as policymakers debate vaccination guidelines and herd immunity targets (~95%).

via WCVB|

#cdc #exemptions #health

health7 days ago•1 min saved

CDC Data Show Kindergarten Vaccinations Slip as Policy Debates Intensify Measles Risk

CDC data for 2025–2026 show a small decline in kindergarten vaccination coverage, with MMR, DTaP, polio, and varicella rates down in more than half the states; about 280,000 kindergartners lack documentation of completing the two-dose MMR and roughly 155,000 exemptions exist (24 states exceed 5%), while state MMR coverage ranges from 75.2% in Idaho to 98.9% in West Virginia. Officials warn that even small declines can threaten herd immunity, in a context of a Trump administration push to loosen vaccine scheduling and school-entry requirements that could face legal challenges.

via Axios|

#health #herd-immunity #measles

local11 days ago•38 min saved

Measles surge in Oregon tests herd immunity as vaccines decline

Oregon is experiencing its highest measles caseload in years, with 45 known cases as of Wednesday, surpassing 2024’s peak of 31 and last year’s count of only one. Health officials say the rise aligns with falling vaccination rates, raising the risk of wider outbreaks and underscoring the importance of measles vaccination to protect vulnerable populations and maintain herd immunity in communities across the state.

via KATU|

#herd-immunity #local #measles

health1 month ago•27 min saved

Measles surge highlights gaps in local vaccination rates

Measles cases are at a 35-year high, and The Washington Post’s review of public records from 44 states and DC shows only 28% of counties have the 95%+ kindergarten vaccination rate needed for herd immunity, down from 50% before the pandemic, with maps illustrating broad gaps and growing health risks linked to pandemic-era anti-vaccine trends.

via The Washington Post|

#health #herd-immunity #infectious-diseases

health1 month ago•5 min saved

US Measles Elimination at Risk as Local Outbreaks Surge

Measles cases in the U.S. have surged to levels not seen in decades, jeopardizing the country’s elimination status as most of the 2,295 cases this year are locally acquired. Experts say elimination requires over 95% vaccination at the community level, but post-pandemic declines in MMR coverage, rising exemptions, and shrinking public health funding threaten rapid detection and response. Analysts project the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status by 2026, and restoring high vaccine coverage may take years.

via ScienceAlert|

#health #herd-immunity #measles

health1 month ago•2 min saved

Measles surge pushes U.S. cases past last year's total

The U.S. measles tally for the year has risen to 2,295, surpassing all of 2025 and marking the highest level in 35 years, driven largely by cases among unvaccinated people. Outbreaks have been reported across several states, with public health officials warning that maintaining herd immunity (at least 95% vaccination coverage) is essential to prevent further spread and protect elimination efforts.

via Axios|

#health #herd-immunity #measles

health1 month ago•26 min saved

Distrust and low vaccines threaten Lancaster measles containment

Pennsylvania’s largest measles outbreak in more than three decades is hampered by growing distrust of health professionals and falling vaccination rates, especially in Lancaster County where Amish and Mennonite communities are more likely to skip shots; health officials are tracing cases, urging vaccination, and warning that many infections may be underreported and can lead to serious complications.

via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|

#amish-mennonite #health #herd-immunity

opinion4 months ago•9 min saved

A Mother's Wake-Up Call: Measles Cost My Daughter's Life

Rebecca Archer recounts how her daughter Renae died in 2023 from subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a rare and fatal measles complication, linking the personal tragedy to a measles outbreak and declining vaccination rates; she notes UK vaccination around 84% and US around 92%, urging stronger vaccination efforts and policies to protect children and maintain herd immunity.

via The New York Times|

#herd-immunity #measles #opinion

health4 months ago•10 min saved

California’s seven-year high in measles prompts renewed outbreak alarms

California has at least 40 measles cases in 2026, the most in seven years, primarily among unvaccinated individuals and amid outbreaks in Riverside, Shasta, and Sacramento–Placer counties. Nationally, cases approach 1,714 as kindergarten vaccination rates dip below the 95% herd-immunity target, fueling concerns that reduced immunity could lead to endemic transmission despite California’s strict vaccine mandates.

via Los Angeles Times|

#california #health #herd-immunity

health4 months ago•9 min saved

HPV vaccines linked to about 50% lower risk of HPV-related cancers in men

A new JAMA Oncology study of more than 510,000 vaccinated and unvaccinated males aged 9–26 finds HPV vaccination is associated with about a 50% lower risk of several HPV-related cancers (head and neck, esophagus, anus, penis), underscoring vaccine benefits beyond cervical cancer and supporting vaccination for all genders.

via CIDRAP|

#cancer-prevention #health #herd-immunity

health4 months ago•7 min saved

Youngest at Risk as SC Measles Outbreak Tests Herd Immunity

South Carolina faces its worst measles outbreak in 35+ years, with about 1,000 cases and babies too young for MMR left vulnerable; doctors are sometimes giving early infant doses while debates over exemptions and under-2 vaccines threaten herd immunity and public health as nationwide cases rise.

via PBS|

#exemptions #health #herd-immunity

public-health5 months ago•11 min saved

Vaccines Deliver Wider Community Benefits Beyond Individual Protection

The piece argues that vaccines provide substantial indirect benefits that extend beyond the individual, helping protect the broader community and reduce health-system strain. It highlights examples such as rubella vaccination eliminating congenital rubella syndrome, the drop in pneumococcal disease across children and seniors due to vaccination, chickenpox vaccines reducing later shingles risk (with potential links to dementia signals), the herd-immunity effects of HPV vaccination protecting unvaccinated boys, and safeguarding immunocompromised people from measles outbreaks. It also notes vaccines lessen parental work absences and overall economic impact, strengthening the case for high vaccination rates despite debates over medical freedom.

via statnews.com|

#herd-immunity #hpv #measles