All articles tagged with #herd immunity
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Measles has reappeared in the United States after elimination in 2000, with outbreaks spreading across about 30 states and roughly 1,300 infections by March 2026. The resurgence is driven by falling MMR vaccination rates below the 95% herd-immunity benchmark, creating unvaccinated pockets that risk serious illness, hospitalizations, and long-term complications. The outbreaks carry heavy economic costs and serve as a warning about the nation’s ability to respond to broader infectious threats, as public trust in health institutions continues to erode.
Measles has re-emerged in the US after decades of rarity, driven by vaccination gaps that push local pockets below the 95% herd-immunity threshold. Outbreaks have spread from Texas in 2025 to Utah/Arizona and South Carolina in 2026, with about 1,300 cases by March 2026 (2,283 in 2025 and 3 deaths). The resurgence risks hospitalizations, pneumonia, SSPE, and substantial economic costs, and it highlights eroding public trust in vaccines and health institutions, as well as the possibility that the U.S. and neighboring countries could lose elimination status.
London is grappling with a measles outbreak affecting unvaccinated children under 10, reflecting a global rise after six countries lost their measles-free status. Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughs and sneezes, with no specific treatment; vaccination is the key defense. The WHO notes a 95% herd-immunity threshold, but UK two-dose coverage stood around 84% in 2024 (with 2,911 confirmed England cases that year). Vaccines (MMR/MMRV) provide strong protection, and public health guidance emphasizes ventilation, hygiene, and avoiding shared items to curb transmission. High-risk groups include babies and the immunocompromised, and complications can include pneumonia, brain inflammation, or, in pregnancy, miscarriage/stillbirth.
Measles is re-emerging globally as vaccination coverage dips and exposure rises: the US logged thousands of cases last year and several countries lost their measles-free status, with the 95% herd-immunity target in sight but not yet achieved. Vaccines remain highly protective, though not 100%, so breakthrough infections can occur (typically milder) during outbreaks or travel-related exposures, highlighting the need for high vaccination coverage to prevent sustained transmission.
Measles outbreaks are expanding across multiple states, with South Carolina reporting rapid transmission and the CDC counting 2,255 U.S. measles cases in 2025—the worst year in over two decades—accompanied by hospitalizations and several deaths; by 2026, 416 cases have been confirmed in 14 jurisdictions, threatening the U.S. elimination status. The piece explains how lower vaccination coverage feeds spread, presents left and right viewpoints, cites experts warning of a continuing threat, and includes a personal take urging vaccines to protect vulnerable populations while addressing vaccine skepticism.
Measles cases have skyrocketed in South Carolina, with 558 total infections since October and 124 new cases in the past week as the outbreak spreads to three other states; officials say most cases are among unvaccinated individuals and cite waning MMR vaccination rates. The surge comes amid RFK Jr.’s overhaul of the U.S. childhood immunization schedule, which does not cut the MMR vaccine but has intensified vaccine-safety debates and potentially fed declines in vaccination rates. Health authorities are urging parents to vaccinate their children promptly to restore herd immunity as the outbreak worsens.
A first-of-its-kind measles risk map lets people enter their ZIP code to view estimated local MMR vaccination coverage and corresponding outbreak risk. Using a national sample and statistical modeling, researchers categorize areas from lowest to very high risk and identify hot spots of low vaccination. The tool highlights that outbreaks are highly localized and vaccination rates, including among kindergarteners, have declined since before the pandemic, emphasizing the role of herd immunity in preventing spread and aiding public health decisions.
Connecticut has the highest kindergarten MMR vaccination rate in the U.S. at 98.2%, surpassing the herd immunity threshold, with overall vaccination rates increasing since 2020. Despite high vaccination coverage, some schools still fall below herd immunity levels, and flu vaccination rates are declining amid rising flu cases. The state eliminated religious exemptions in 2021, allowing only medical exemptions.
Vaccination rates for children in many U.S. counties have declined significantly, leading to increased risks of outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, and threatening the country's herd immunity status amid recent policy debates and changes in vaccine recommendations.
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates have significantly declined since before the pandemic, with only 28% of counties maintaining herd immunity levels, due to political backlash, lax enforcement, and misinformation, increasing vulnerability to outbreaks of measles and other preventable diseases.