These Diseases Are on the Rise as Vaccine Rates Decrease

Newsweek

a day ago

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The U.S. vaccination rate is on a steady multiyear decline, with the Centers of Disease Prevention and Control reporting that coverage for all children entering kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year declined for all reported vaccines.
The measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine has dropped to 92.5 percent, down from 92.7 percent last year. The overall vaccine exemption rate also climbed to 3.6 percent.
Experts are now warning that the declines in vaccine coverage in the United States has led to notable increases in several diseases, including measles, whooping cough and hand, foot and mouth disease.
Why It Matters
Health authorities, researchers, and global health leaders have warned that continued decreases in childhood vaccinations could reverse decades of progress in controlling these illnesses, resulting in higher rates of infection, hospitalizations, and preventable deaths.
According to the CDC, small declines in coverage have already contributed to localized outbreaks, while modeling studies predict far greater spread if the trend continues.
One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025,...
One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. MoreWhat To Know
The falling immunization rates are already making an impact on U.S. public health, doctors say.
In Philadelphia, an uptick in hand, foot, and mouth disease cases closed a local pool and sent numerous children to urgent care.
"Each of our centers across the Philadelphia and surrounding county area are seeing multiple cases," Dr. Bob Czincila, medical director of Vybe urgent care, told CBS News, noting that transmission is especially prevalent in day care settings and summer camps.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection that can be painful, often making it difficult for young children to eat and drink and increasing the risk of dehydration. There is no specific treatment other than symptom relief.
South Carolina's Department of Public Health also recently reported a 124 percent increase in whooping cough cases over the past year, with 551 cases confirmed, many among children in child care centers and schools.
Health officials advised antibiotics as the primary treatment and emphasized that vaccination remains the best means of prevention.
Meanwhile, measles, long declared eliminated in the United States, has seen a resurgence is cases.
Texas experienced over 750 cases since January, resulting in at least two deaths.
These outbreaks have primarily originated in communities with low vaccination rates. JAMA modeling studies and CDC data show regional drops in childhood immunizations; for example, kindergarten coverage for measles, polio, whooping cough, and chickenpox fell from 95 percent before the pandemic to below 93 percent afterward, with some states experiencing much larger declines.
Epidemiologists warn that drops in vaccination not only increase individual infection risk, but also threaten herd immunity, leaving newborns, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly particularly vulnerable.
"It is not so common in patients over the age of 20, but there are increasing outbreaks. I attribute this to declining vaccination coverage due to misinformation, increased global travel and less healthy lifestyles overall including poor diet," board-certified internist Dr. Amanda Kahn told Newsweek.
CDC experts note that disparities in vaccination persist, with lower coverage reported among children from racial and ethnic minorities, economically disadvantaged households, and rural areas.
What People Are Saying
Board-certified internist Dr. Amanda Kahn told Newsweek: "I am now checking all adult patients for measles immunity given that measles cases are on the rise. Measles is something we typically see in unvaccinated children or infants who are too young to be vaccinated, however I do see waning immunity in adults who were previously vaccinated, and now recommend a booster."
Dr. Bob Czincila, medical director of Vybe urgent care, told CBS Philadelphia, regarding the spread of hand, foot, and mouth disease: "Kids are coming in with rashes that are on their fingers, on their hands, they can be on their toes and feet, and then you have oral ulcerations. It makes it difficult for children, especially younger ones, to eat because of how painful and how much they burn... It's primarily in children, but certainly, we have adults that have younger children that may contract it from them, that come in as well too."
Mathew Kiang, ScD, assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford Medicine, said in an earlier report: "If vaccination were to fall by even 10 percent today, measles cases would skyrocket to 11.1 million over the next 25 years. If vaccination rates were cut in half, we'd expect 51.2 million cases of measles, 9.9 million cases of rubella, 4.3 million cases of polio and 200 cases of diphtheria over 25 years."
What Happens Next
Public health experts have emphasized that maintaining or increasing vaccination rates is critical for preventing further disease resurgence.
Modeling studies indicate that even a small increase, around 5 percent, in vaccine coverage could dramatically reduce future outbreaks and bring disease levels back toward elimination thresholds. Meanwhile, continued decline could permanently reestablish diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio in the U.S.
The CDC and health providers recommend that parents consult with pediatricians to ensure all children are up-to-date on vaccinations.