Unvaccination Trend Pose Threat of Millions of Measles Cases in U.S. Within a Quarter Century
In the US, tens of millions of measles cases could surface over the next quarter-century if vaccination rates take a dip, a new study reveals. And that's a huge concern, given the growing influence of anti-vaxxers within government circles and the general population's lack of awareness of measles' danger.
Researchers at Stanford University simulated the impact of wavering vaccination rates on measles, rubella, poliomyelitis, and diphtheria. If childhood vaccinations dropped by a whopping 50%, this model forecasts 51.2 million measles cases over a 25-year span, as well as 9.9 million rubella cases, 4.3 million poliomyelitis cases, and 197 diphtheria cases. This disaster would result in 10.3 million hospitalizations and nearly 160,000 deaths.
A 50% drop in childhood vaccinations would be disastrous, leaving countless unnecessary sufferers, particularly since measles was eradicated in the US in 2000, and it's only recently that we've seen major outbreaks. Even if vaccination rates stayed the same as in 2025, the following 25 years would still witness over 850,000 US measles cases.
Just a 10% drop in MMR immunization rates would trigger a measles infection explosion, with as many as 11.1 million cases in the US over 25 years. Conversely, a 5% rise in vaccinations would see the US dealing with just 5,800 cases. The nation needs a vaccination rate of approximately 95% to achieve herd immunity for measles. Current vaccination coverage in the models varies between 87.7% and 95.6%.
Vaccination rates differ state by state. New York, for example, had an estimated childhood vaccination rate of 97.7% for the 2023-24 school year, according to the CDC, while Idaho lagged behind with a rate of 79.6%.
Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, between 3 and 4 million Americans would contract measles annually, according to the CDC, with tens of thousands being hospitalized. Approximately 400-500 people would die each year from the disease, but death isn't the only downside. Measles leads to immune amnesia, effectively resetting the immune system's memory, making the body vulnerable to other infections.
Currently, the US is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in a quarter-century, with at least 800 cases reported in 25 states, according to the CDC. Illinois reported its first case last Thursday. Tragically, three people - two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico - have died from measles this year alone.
Parents of a 6-year-old girl who died on Feb. 26 refused to admit they regretted not vaccinating her. They claimed that four unvaccinated siblings were alive and kicking. The father of an 8-year-old girl who died on April 3 also defended his decision not to vaccinate his daughter, asserting that she actually died of something unrelated to measles and poor hospital care.
Both families have connections with Children's Health Defense, a controversial anti-vaxxer organization that falsely promises vaccines cause autism. RFK Jr., who currently heads the Department of Health and Human Services, served as the organization's chair from 2015 until 2023. Unfortunately, this association doesn't bode well for improved MMR vaccination rates in the near future.
In fact, RFK Jr. recently announced that he would expose the "cause" of autism by autumn. He's leading the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and allegedly forming a team of scientists to pinpoint the source of the so-called autism "epidemic." RFK Jr. is also rumored to be collecting Americans' private health records, as reported by NPR.
RFK Jr. gave a shocking speech last Tuesday complaining about unfittingly autistic people who don't pay taxes or go on dates. He also mentioned a decrease in American teen boys' testosterone levels and suggested that many diseases weren't as common or absent when he was a child.
These contagions were often undiagnosed, unrecognized, or hidden away in institutions during RFK Jr.'s youth. One of the prime examples is his own aunt, Rosemary Kennedy, who was institutionalized and lobotomized in the early 1940s due to erratic emotions and violent behavior attributed to delivery complications. Her existence was kept a secret for decades, and her own father never visited her. Her mother didn't see her for 20 years.
All this alarming news doesn't instill confidence in the health decision-makers, given their disregard for science and their fixation on reproductive health and hormone levels. With President Trump in office for the next four years (albeit illegally extending his tenure beyond that), the country's health situation could get far worse before it improves.
- The growing influence of anti-vaxxers within government circles is a significant concern, as seen with RFK Jr. serving as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Scientists at Stanford University have simulated the impact of wavering vaccination rates on multiple diseases, including measles, rubella, polio, and diphtheria.
- A 50% drop in childhood vaccinations could result in 51.2 million measles cases over 25 years, along with increased cases of other deadly diseases.
- Even a 10% drop in MMR immunization rates could lead to a measles infection explosion, with millions of cases and thousands of deaths.
- For herd immunity to be achieved for measles, the nation needs a vaccination rate of approximately 95%. The models suggest current coverage varies between 87.7% and 95.6%.
- Vaccination rates differ state by state, with New York having a higher rate than Idaho, according to the CDC.
- Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, tens of thousands of Americans died from measles each year, and millions contracted the disease.
- Measles can lead to immune amnesia, making the body vulnerable to other infections.
- In the US, we're currently experiencing our worst measles outbreak in a quarter-century, with at least 800 cases reported across 25 states.
- Several deaths have been reported this year, including three children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico, as a result of measles complications.
- Some parents who have lost children to measles have refused to admit their regret over not vaccinating their children, citing the vaccination-autism false claim by controversial organizations like Children's Health Defense.
- In the future, RFK Jr.'s focus on allegedly uncovering the cause of autism and rumored collection of Americans' private health records may adversely impact MMR vaccination rates and overall public health.
