Many public health scholars worry that the resurgence of measles across the U.S. and worldwide, driven by a drop in vaccination rates, might signal a coming wave of other vaccine-preventable diseases
Guest Editorial. That number surpasses the 2025 outbreak in Texas and hits the unfortunate milestone of being the largest outbreak in the U.S. since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated here.
The outbreak is exposing the breadth of dangers the disease can pose. South Carolina’s state epidemiologist revealed on Feb. 4 that. But many public health scholars worry that the resurgence of measles across the U.S. and worldwide, driven by a drop in vaccination rates, might signal aThe Conversation U.S. compiled a set of five stories from our archives to help readers gauge both practical considerations around vaccination and the bigger picture of what the return of measles might mean for public health.on the planet – much more contagious than more familiar infectious illnesses such as flu, COVID-19 and chickenpox. But the vaccine, which is given as a two-dose regimen, is 97% effective in preventing measles infection, wroteMost people born after 1957 have received the vaccine as children. A striking – though unsurprising – feature of the South Carolina outbreak is that at least 800 of the reported cases occurred in The measles vaccine is so effective that many doctors practicing today have never seen a case of the disease. RuslanDashinsky/E+ via Getty Images“The immunity from a vaccine is effectively the same immunity you get from having measles itself – but vastly safer than encountering the wild virus unprotected,” Pastula explained. “The point of vaccines is to create immunity without the risks of severe infection. It is basically a dress rehearsal for the real thing.” Most people who contract measles will experience 10-14 days of a high fever, cold-like symptoms, eye inflammation and a rash that starts on the face and spreads across the body. Because the infection usually resolves on its own, it’s easy to dismiss the fact that it can have severe consequences., in which the virus lies dormant in the brain of someone who recovered from a measles infection and reawakens 7-10 years later to cause “a progressive dementia that is almost always fatal,” Kasson wrote.A common adage in public health is that vaccines are often victims of their own success. That’s particularly true for the measles vaccine – because it’s so effective, many doctors and nurses practicing today have never seen a case.. One 2025 study she described found that the U.S. is on track to see 850,000 cases over the next 25 years at current vaccination rates. “If vaccine rates decrease further, the study found, case numbers could increase to 11 million over the next 25 years,” she wrote. That scenario is not a foregone conclusion, of course. Another study suggested that outbreaks could be contained if they’re stopped quickly – as long as 85% of the population is vaccinated against the disease.vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. and globally. But a safe assumption is that parents the world over want the same thing: to keep their children as healthy as possible. To explain how parents might reasonably weigh the risks posed by vaccines and the risks posed by a disease like measles and decide not to vaccinate, public policy expert “Game theory reveals that vaccine hesitancy is not a moral failure, but simply the predictable outcome of a system in which individual and collective incentives aren’t properly aligned,” they wrote.Measles is said to be eliminated from a country after at least 12 months in which there’s minimal spread of the disease internally and only small outbreaks linked to international travel.Jacobsen explained why this designation is so important for public health. “The loss of measles elimination status is a symptom of a deeper issue: declining trust in public messaging about science and health, which has led to decreased vaccination rates and growing vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases,” she wrote.An open letter to Sen. McCormick and Rep. Perry | PennLive lettersTrump’s lies about immigration mask a darker truth about American racism | PennLive letters Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show is part of long play drawn up by NFL to score with Latin America | The Conversation
@Topstories Opinion The-Conversation Section:/Opinion
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
16 Years Ago, This Sci-Fi Masterpiece Series Changed Everything With 1 of the Best Timeline Twists EverHow this controversial 2000’s television series still managed to shock its audience after five insane seasons.
Read more »
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi’s party projected to secure large majority in snap electionJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s high-stakes gamble on a snap election has paid off, with voters handing her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a majority Sunday, according to public broadcaster NHK.
Read more »
Victim’s belongings slashed and stolen in West Side robbery; suspect still at largeA hearing-impaired man was robbed at knifepoint while he was riding his bike on the city's West Side.
Read more »
10 Best Championship Games Since 2000, From Patriots-Falcons to Dodgers-Blue JaysFOX Sports' experts look back at the 10 best championship matchups across sports this century.
Read more »
1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Cisco, ModernaMarket Analysis by covering: S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, US Small Cap 2000, Cisco Systems Inc. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com
Read more »
2,000-year-old Roman Mithras Sanctuary unearthed in Bavaria stuns expertsA groundbreaking first for Roman Bavaria: a cult sanctuary dedicated to Mithras has been discovered, beloved among legionaries.
Read more »