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The United States is witnessing a significant decline in vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) as reported across more than 2,000 counties, according to a study published in JAMA . Data covering the years 2019 through 2024 show that the county-level mean vaccination rate fell from 93.92% in the pre-pandemic years to 91.26% after the pandemic with 78% of counties reporting declining rates. Only 4 states reported increased rates of MMR vaccination during the study period: California, Connecticut, Maine, and New York. The Johns Hopkins University authors believe that measles is likely to return to endemic levels if MMR vaccination rates continue to decline.
Current situation: MMR vaccination is the recommended preventive measure for measles, and the ongoing measles outbreaks have encouraged some American families to seek vaccines for their children recently. As of May 29, 2025, a total of 1,088 confirmed measles cases were reported in 33 states, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While 12% of cases have resulted in hospitalization, the large majority of hospitalizations are among children and infants. Three deaths attributed to measles have been confirmed this year, and the vaccination status of 96% of all cases is classified as “unvaccinated or unknown.” Over the past 25 years, the highest number of measles cases occurred in 2019 with 1,274 cases. This year appears likely to be on track to surpass that number.
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