Why Measles Cases Are Rising Right Now

Last year, cases of measles—a serious, vaccine-preventable disease that’s highly contagious—jumped by 79% around the world. Most of them were in children. That trend is continuing this year, threatening to reverse an impressive 73% drop in measles deaths worldwide from 2000 to 2018. Cases in the U.S. are climbing, too. In just the first two months of 2024, 35 cases have already been reported in 15 states including California, Minnesota, Florida, New York, and Louisiana; in 2023, 58 cases were reported over the entire year. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Why are measles cases taking off, and how can people protect themselves? Why measles cases are climbing Not enough kids are getting vaccinated. For herd immunity, about 95% or more of a population needs to be vaccinated, but most countries around the world have been below that threshold for years. By 2019, 86% of kids worldwide had been vaccinated with a dose by their second birthday, but that number dropped even further to 81% in 2021. (The measles vaccine is given in two doses: one at a year, the next at age 4-6.) Vaccination rates in the U.S. are declining, too, and vaccination exemption rates are creeping up. CDC data show that 93% of kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles during the 2021-22 school year Vaccinating more children is the best way to prevent new outbreaks. The vaccine, which has been around since the 1960s, is given as a combination shot that al...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Source Type: news