The Covid connection behind rising measles cases across the US
Post-Pandemic Drop in Vaccination
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Where Measles Is Spreading — and Why
A Preventable Threat
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Measles cases are surging across the United States in 2025, and a new study from Johns Hopkins University pinpoints a clear reason: childhood vaccination rates have dropped significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic — especially in counties now facing active outbreaks.According to the study published in JAMA this week, nearly 80% of more than 2,000 U.S. counties analyzed showed a decline in routine measles vaccination among children. These declines are particularly concerning because herd immunity against measles requires at least 95% vaccination coverage to prevent the highly contagious virus from spreading."In national-level data, the problem looks small. But when you zoom in, it becomes obvious that many communities are dangerously under-vaccinated," said Dr. Lauren Gardner, infectious disease modeler at Johns Hopkins and lead author of the study. Gardner also led the university's renowned COVID-19 data project.As of early June, more than 1,000 measles cases have been reported nationwide — the highest total in decades — with three confirmed deaths. Experts warn that if the trend continues, 2025 could become the worst year for measles in over 30 years.The Johns Hopkins study compared kindergarten vaccination rates from the 2017–2020 school years to those from 2022–2024, revealing sharp post-pandemic declines in many areas. In places where kindergarten data wasn't available, comparable statistics were used.While measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, ongoing international and domestic travel, coupled with declining vaccination rates, has allowed the disease to resurface.Public schools generally require two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine before kindergarten. But non-medical exemptions have reached record highs in the 2023–2024 school year, weakening community protection.Texas is currently one of the hardest-hit states, with 742 cases since January, mostly in the western region.Gaines County, the state's epicenter, has 411 cases. Though its vaccination rate increased slightly after the pandemic, it still sits at 82.4%, well below the herd immunity threshold.Terry County (60 cases) and Yoakum County (20 cases) both fell under 95% vaccination.In nearby Lubbock County (53 cases), the rate dropped from just below 95% to 91.8% after the pandemic.Even El Paso County, with relatively high coverage at 96.5%, saw a 2.1-point drop.Kansas is also facing outbreaks in counties where vaccination has plummeted.Gray County, with 25 cases, saw a dramatic fall from 94% to 71%.Haskell County dropped from 83% to 65%, while Stevens County declined slightly to 90.5%.In Colorado, a measles outbreak linked to an international flight has affected six people.Arapahoe County, home to two cases, saw vaccination decline to 88.4%.El Paso County, with three cases, dropped nearly four points to 80%.North Dakota data was only available from 2022 onward, but some counties have seen troubling patterns.Williams County, where the outbreak began, rose to 87.7% in 2023 but dropped again to 83.5% in 2024.Cass County remained steady at around 92.7%, while Grand Forks County fell from 95.4% to 93.4% — just under the herd immunity mark.Health officials emphasize that measles is entirely preventable through vaccination. The MMR vaccine is safe, effective, and has been proven to protect against outbreaks for decades. Yet the post-pandemic decline in public trust and an increase in misinformation are reversing years of progress.(With AP Inputs)
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