The Health Divide: Measles cases have hit a three-decade high, and not everyone is equally protected
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Signs point the way to measles testing in Seminole, Texas earlier this year.
(Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)
Published on
August 11, 2025
How prepared is your city to handle a measles outbreak? It’s a question any reporter covering public health should be asking their local officials.
The number of measles cases in the U.S. is currently at its highest level since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. This surge in cases and outbreaks is mainly due to a decline in vaccination rates and an increase in international travel.
As of August 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 1,356 confirmed measles cases across 40 states this year. There have been 28 outbreaks reported so far, with the vast majority of confirmed cases linked to these outbreaks.
With millions of students expected to return to school in the coming weeks, the concern is that the numbers will continue to rise. A 2022 study found declining vaccination rates and recent outbreaks have left between nine and 15 million children in the U.S. vulnerable to measles. And due to persistent disparities in vaccination rates, Black kids and those on Medicaid face higher risks.
White children in the U.S. have the highest vaccination rate at 76% by the age of 35 months, followed by Hispanic children at 70%, while Black children have the lowest rate at 67%, according to a 2024 report from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center.
Studies have identified health insurance coverage as a primary barrier to vaccination rates among children. Those with private insurance had the highest vaccination rate at 80%, while 71% of children enrolled in Medicaid's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) were vaccinated. Moreover, in 35 states, children on Medicaid were less likely to be vaccinated compared to their peers with private insurance.
Geography can also play a significant role. For instance, in Michigan, Black children are nearly 30% less likely to receive the full schedule of recommended vaccinations, with only 50% fully vaccinated compared to 79% of white children.
We’ve not reached the 95% vaccination mark in five years
Dr. Neil Winawer of Emory University told FOX 5 News in Atlanta that it was a “failure of public health.”
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known. It acts as a warning signal for other potential diseases like whooping cough, polio, and meningitis — vaccine-preventable diseases that we have nearly eradicated from society but are now at risk of returning, Winawer said.
Two doses of the measles vaccine are 97% effective at preventing the disease, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Although just over 92% of children are still receiving vaccinations, the CDC states that reaching a 95% vaccination rate is crucial for achieving herd immunity.
The challenge is that the U.S. has not reached the 95% mark in five years, and the rate has been declining each year. In 2024, the vaccination rate was 92.7%, and this year it has dropped to 92.5%.
While this decrease may seem minor, when considering the thousands of children not being vaccinated, the numbers become significant.
Winawer described the rise in measles outbreaks as “an embarrassment” due to the excessive politicization of vaccines. While the CDC asserts that vaccinations are the best way to protect oneself against measles, they still frame it as a personal choice.
Disparities in Black childhood vaccinations stem in part from everyday challenges in accessing health care — factors such as limited clinic hours, unreliable transportation, childcare challenges, a lack of time off work.
In addition, some Black parents mistrust the medical system and a result are wary of vaccinating their children.
This type of past statement from Kennedy doesn’t help either: “We should not be giving black people the same vaccine schedule that’s given to whites because their immune system is better than ours.”
During his confirmation hearing in January, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat from Maryland, called Kennedy’s comments “dangerous.”
Kennedy guts key vaccine program and committee
The ongoing spike in cases has generated sharp criticism of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose messaging on vaccines has been mixed at best. Public health experts have criticized him for repeatedly questioning the safety and efficacy of routine vaccinations, including the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.
“The reason measles has come back is because a critical percentage of parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children, because they've gotten misinformation and disinformation from people like him and his Children's Health Defense,” prominent vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit told ABC News.
In June, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, claiming they were too closely aligned with manufacturers, and he wanted to restore public trust in vaccine science. He appointed several vaccine skeptics.
Last week, Kennedy announced the cancellation of $500 million in contracts for mRNA vaccines being developed to combat respiratory viruses, such as the flu and COVID-19.
He did not explain the rationale for this decision. In an Aug. 5 statement, he mentioned that the department would instead focus on investing in better solutions. However, he did not provide any details about what these solutions would involve.
As health journalists, it is our responsibility to assess how well our cities, states, and school systems are prepared to handle the next potential outbreak or pandemic. It’s also incumbent upon us to call out misinformation regarding vaccination safety.
For instance, Kennedy said in a video on social media last week that the pandemic showed that “mRNA vaccines don’t perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract.”
The New York Times immediately followed that assertion with an unequivocal quote from Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health. “By issuing this wildly incorrect statement, the secretary is demonstrating his commitment to his long-held goal of sowing doubts about all vaccines,” she told the Times.
Reporters would also do well to investigate vaccination rates in their regions to determine whether they fall below the 95% threshold necessary for herd immunity. What efforts are being made to ensure that the most vulnerable populations are receiving vaccinations in your coverage area? How are public health officials attempting to counter misinformation and mistrust of vaccines in historically marginalized communities?
The stakes are high. Measles remains one of the world’s most contagious diseases — and one of the most dangerous for young children.