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Newsweek
05-08-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
These Diseases Are on the Rise as Vaccine Rates Decrease
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. 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.
Toronto Sun
29-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Sun
Almost 70% of Canadians surveyed want child vaccines to be mandatory: Poll
Published May 29, 2025 • 1 minute read Priscilla Luna holds her 3 year-old daughter Avery Dahl, while she gets the MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. Photo by Jan Sonnenmair / Getty Images A new poll suggests nearly 70 per cent of Canadians support mandatory childhood vaccinations. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Angus Reid Institute survey comes as a measles outbreak touches several provinces, primarily infecting unvaccinated infants, kids and teens. The poll of almost 1,700 Canadians found 69 per cent of respondents between May 20 and 23 said proof of immunization should be required for kids to attend daycare and school. That's an increase from the 55 per cent of respondents who said the same thing last year, before the outbreak began. Last week, Ontario reported nearly 1,800 measles cases had emerged since October. Alberta reported 628 cases on Wednesday. Proof of vaccination is mandatory for kids to attend school in Ontario and New Brunswick, unless they have a valid exemption, but that's not the case across the country. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The polling industry's professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. Half of respondents in Ontario and Alberta said they believed more should be done to control the outbreak at all levels of health management, from the premier to the chief medical officer of health. The percentage of respondents who favoured proof of vaccination was slightly lower in Alberta, at 60 per cent, but higher than the 48 per cent of Albertans who supported a mandate last year. The poll found 37 per cent of respondents in Alberta said they had no confidence in their provincial government's response to measles, while 30 per cent said the same in Saskatchewan and 27 per cent said that in Ontario. A Canadian Journal of Public Health article published in October 2024 found approximately 76 per cent of seven-year-olds were vaccinated against measles in 2023, down from just over 86 per cent in 2019. Read More Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Canada Ontario Celebrity
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What the Trump White House Is Doing to Our Kids' Health
A family supports a young child as he receives the MMR vaccine at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1 in Lubbock, Texas. Credit - Jan Sonnenmair—Getty Images In March 2025, it was announced that the U.S. would no longer support international public health programs that vaccinated millions of children worldwide. This is a hit to children worldwide on top of the Trump administration cuts to U.S. AID programs that provided basic nutrition for hundreds of thousands of children worldwide. One may interpret these directives as a reflection that the current U.S. political leadership no longer believes that the U.S. has an obligation to non-American children. But one only needs to look at what is happening in the U.S. now to see that the lack of care for children at home, as the administration signals to cut the Vaccines for Children program, which supports disease-preventative efforts in the U.S. Examining what has evolved from the culture wars of the past several years, one sees a slew of policies detrimental to children in many ways. Rather than reflecting mainstream pediatric and educational philosophy, these policies mirror the political creep of fringe groups and politicians to impose their viewpoints on other people's children. These policies impact infection control, education, nutrition, healthcare, and the environment. Front-page news is now dotted with reports of a resurgence in vaccine-preventable infections, including measles. But contrary to some, vaccinations have never been a matter of personal choice in this country, but rather a 100-year-old societal obligation to keep America safe. In fact, the majority of Americans support childhood vaccination (about 70%), according to a January 2025 report by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). Yet, the measles outbreaks happening across the U.S. are predictable consequences of a well-funded anti-vaccine movement that has pushed for laws encouraging vaccine exemptions and the weakening of school vaccine requirements. To the dismay of our nation's physicians, this movement now has a seat at the top of Health and Human Services (HHS) in RFK Jr., an anti-vaccine proponent. The fact that two unvaccinated children have died of measles, 17% of infected individuals are hospitalized, and children have been hospitalized with vitamin A toxicity, reportedly in response to RFK Jr. advocating vitamin treatment for measles, shows the consequences of fringe medical viewpoints on children. As the number of reported cases of measles in the U.S. nears 1000, and cases are now in half the states without a massive outcry and response from federal agencies, one can only ask if childhood deaths from measles will become the new normal. The recently announced $11 billion in cuts of CDC funding will also impact health departments across the country, affecting not only COVID-19 relief programs but also state pediatric vaccine programs. Plans to reduce the HSS workforce by 10 thousand employees will also affect vaccination programs and infection surveillance. Thus, children in the U.S. will bear the consequences of needless infections, with medical, educational, economic, and lifelong consequences, and the nation may sadly soon learn what natural herd immunity looks like as vaccine-preventable illnesses spread across the country. Pediatric healthcare is also under attack as never before. Americans may be surprised to learn that 48% of children in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid, which provides healthcare for these children. We now hear cries for hundreds of billions of dollars to be cut from Medicaid, claiming that these cuts will come from curtailing waste, fraud, and abuse. Yet, according to reports, this number is quite low. We also need to recognize the significant shortages in pediatric care providers, which will only worsen as provider payments are cut. What are the proposed alternatives for providing pediatric healthcare when Medicaid is cut? What's more, there is a woeful shortage of pediatric dental care. This situation is even dire for children on Medicaid. And now, the scientifically unsound political campaign against water fluoridation is another example of an anti-pediatric fringe initiative to dismantle a public health success. There is no evidence that properly maintained levels of fluoride in drinking water provide anything but benefits through the reduction of dental cavities. Furthermore, the anti-fluoridation movement has not called for cavity prevention alternatives, such as fluoride supplements or varnishes, which are proposed to promote pediatric dental health or improve access to pediatric dental care. It is also an uncomfortable reality that millions of children in America do not have enough food and would go to bed hungry if not for federally funded nutrition programs. The SNAP program, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, provides billions of dollars in funding for school lunch programs and serves approximately 30% of school-age children in the US. However, this program is slated for large budget cuts. Additionally, procuring produce from local farmers was a key component to promote nutritious offerings in school lunch programs. However, despite RFK Jr.'s calls to promote healthy eating, the $1 billion local farmer procurement program has been eliminated. This doesn't even begin to touch the intense effect cuts to reproductive care have on kids. The impact of abortion bans on teenage pregnancy and outcomes is now coming to light. These data show increases in teen pregnancies and an increase in newborn deaths. Yet, we are seeing attempts to restrict sex and birth control education in many states by conservative elements when more education is needed to prevent unintended pregnancies. Read More: What Trump Has Done on Reproductive Health Care In His First 100 Days Much has been highlighted about the mental health problems our children are experiencing. It is too convenient to blame these issues on the unregulated proliferation of social media. There are multiple factors for mental health problems in the U.S., including the stress that society is under due to dizzying politics and culture wars—not to mention environmental degradation. The past few decades of climate change have had an impact on society. Thus, there has been a rightful concern and regulation of environmental toxins in air, water, and food, as well as the impact of climate change on health. Numerous studies also show that environmental toxins disproportionately hurt children as compared to adults. Incredibly, looking to their future, children in Montana sued the state and won, arguing that the state needed to implement policies to mitigate the impact of climate change. Here, too, we are seeing the evisceration of policies that provide environmental protections for all of us, including children. At the state level, we also see laws considered that will be detrimental to children. In response to a workforce shortage caused by the loss of immigrant workers, the Florida legislature is proposing legislation that will roll back child labor laws. The proposed bill will allow children as young as 14 years old to work overnight shifts on school days. The impact of a singular pediatric-related policy change on infection prevention, nutrition, education, healthcare, or the environment would be dramatic. However, the cumulative effect of numerous collective policies that change in multiple ways simultaneously may be devastating. In 1963, President Kennedy said, 'For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.' Amidst the political chaos, which is sadly becoming the new norm, perhaps now is the time to step back and ask when America stopped cherishing its children. Are we prepared for the answer and consequences? Contact us at letters@
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Measles Map Update as New State Confirms Outbreak
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Tennessee health officials confirmed a measles outbreak on Thursday, pushing the number of U.S. states with active outbreaks to 10. Nationwide, cases have surged past 800 — more than double the total reported in all of 2024. The largest outbreak remains in Texas, with 624 cases across 26 counties, primarily in the western region. Health officials reported two additional hospitalizations this week, bringing the total to 64, while Bailey County logged its first two cases. Most of the Texas cases—62 percent—are concentrated in Gaines County, home to a close-knit Mennonite community with low vaccination rates. Two children in Texas have died from measles-related complications since late February. Neighboring New Mexico now has 65 confirmed cases, including six hospitalizations. Most cases are in Lea County, with isolated infections in Eddy, Chaves, and Doña Ana counties. A New Mexico adult died in March due to measles complications. State officials say genetic testing confirms the outbreak is linked to the one in Texas. Kansas has reported 37 measles cases spread across eight counties in the southwest. The highest case counts are in Haskell (8) and Stevens (7) counties. The state's first case was detected on March 13 in Stevens County, also genetically linked to the Texas outbreak. In Oklahoma, the case total has reached 13 — 10 confirmed and three probable. The initial cases were traced back to outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. Public exposures occurred in Custer, Oklahoma, and Cleveland counties, though state officials have not identified where current cases are located. Ohio reported 32 confirmed cases on Thursday, with the majority in Ashtabula (16) and Knox (14) counties. There are also isolated cases in Allen and Holmes counties. Knox County health officials report 20 total measles cases, including seven non-residents. Indiana has eight cases in Allen County, in the northeastern part of the state. Five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults with unknown vaccination status. Health officials say the cases are not linked to other outbreaks. In Pennsylvania, officials declared an outbreak in Erie County after identifying two new cases tied to a prior case confirmed on March 30. The state has seen nine total cases this year, though not all are connected, including travel-related cases in Montgomery County and Philadelphia. 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, has eight cases total, four of which are clustered in Montcalm County near Grand Rapids. Officials believe these are linked to Ontario's large outbreak in Canada. The remaining cases are not part of that cluster. Montana reported its first measles cases in 35 years, with five unvaccinated children and adults isolating at home in Gallatin County. These individuals had traveled out of state, though no link to other North American outbreaks has been confirmed. Tennessee has reported six measles cases, all in the central part of the state. At least three are connected, though health officials have not provided further details or confirmed ties to other outbreaks. Health experts warn that measles — a highly contagious, airborne virus — could continue to spread in undervaccinated communities. Though declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, recent trends in declining childhood immunization and rising exemption claims have contributed to its resurgence. This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available. Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Do You Need a Measles Vaccine Booster?
Boxes and vials of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella Virus vaccine at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. Credit - Jan Sonnenmair—Getty Images Amid the measles outbreak that started in Texas and is now believed to have spread to four other states, many people might be wondering: do I need to get a measles vaccine booster? Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that can lead to severe complications, including death. It's also vaccine preventable through the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is typically administered in childhood in two doses. More than two decades ago, measles was declared eliminated from the U.S., thanks in large part to a successful vaccination program. But in recent years, vaccination rates have declined and measles cases have soared. In 2024, there were 285 reported measles cases in the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four months into 2025, the agency has received reports of 800 confirmed measles cases. Of those, 96% were in people who were either unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. So far in 2025, two children in Texas have died of measles-related complications; both of them were unvaccinated. A third person, an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico, tested positive for measles after death, though the official cause of death is still under investigation, according to the CDC. Before this year, the last confirmed measles death in the U.S. was in 2015, according to the CDC. Read More: Why Measles Cases Are Rising Right Now Public health experts say that the best way to protect yourself against measles is to get vaccinated. The MMR vaccine is safe and effective; according to the CDC, two doses are 97% effective against measles. People who don't get the MMR vaccine in childhood can still get it later in life, says Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the division head of pediatric infectious diseases at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. The CDC has said that most people who get the MMR vaccine will be protected for life, and there are no official recommendations to get a third dose of the vaccine during a measles outbreak. 'The vast majority of people with two doses are protected [and] do not come down with measles,' Jhaveri says. 'We have decades upon decades of experience that two doses has been safe and effective, and when we maintained two doses at a very high level across our population, we were seeing very few, if any, outbreaks.' Still, that doesn't mean a booster is never needed for other types of diseases. According to Jhaveri, there are two important factors that help make that determination: the genetic variability of the virus and the nature of your immunity. The viruses causing the flu and COVID-19, for instance, have a lot of genetic variability, which is why public health experts recommend getting a new vaccine against those viruses every year. People also get booster shots for tetanus because antibody levels against the bacteria wane over time and if someone has a high-risk exposure—such as stepping on a rusty nail—doctors err on the side of vaccinating them afterward, Jhaveri says. But measles, he says, is more genetically stable and both doses of the MMR vaccine 'allow for you to have antibody levels that are high enough to protect you and also allow your cells to respond in case you are exposed, to prevent you from getting infected.' Jhaveri says that, as people get older, their immune system typically doesn't work as well, so 'theoretically, there may be some drop in measles immunity.' Only about three out of 100 people who are fully vaccinated against measles will get the disease if they are exposed to the virus, according to the CDC. But a vaccinated person who does get the measles typically has much milder symptoms and is less likely to spread the disease to others, compared to someone who is unvaccinated. According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, about 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to the virus will get measles. There is a group of people who may need to consider getting vaccinated again: according to the CDC, people vaccinated before 1968 with an older version of the vaccine, an inactivated one, should be revaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine we use now, a live attenuated measles vaccine. That's because the inactivated vaccine, which was available from 1963 to 1967, was not as effective as the version we use now. Jhaveri points out that the ongoing outbreak is mostly among unvaccinated people, not those who have been vaccinated, and so getting a third dose would be unnecessary. 'The reason we're seeing outbreaks now is because we have big pockets across our population that aren't getting those two doses,' Jhaveri says. 'So convincing the people who are doing the right thing to do it more is not where the effort really needs to go; it's to convince those people who don't see the benefit of the two doses … that they should get vaccinated.' Contact us at letters@
