5 Topic Commentaries

Measles Returns as Vaccination Rates Fall

Measles Returns as Vaccination Rates Fall

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  Marietta Vazquez, MD, FAAP

  Pediatric Infectious Diseases

  •

  Yale School of Medicine

  As vaccination rates decline, we’re seeing an increase not only in the total number of cases, but also in continuous transmission.

  Source
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  Ana Bento, PhD

  Infectious Disease Ecology

  •

  Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

  Before this decrease of vaccination, even with an introduction of measles, because vaccination coverage was so high, you could still have one or two cases and the outbreak would fizzle out,”

  Source
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  Nathan Lo, MD, PhD

  Infectious Diseases

  •

  Stanford University School of Medicine

  If vaccinations decline over a longer period, you start to see outbreaks increase in size and frequency. Eventually you see sustained, ongoing transmission, meaning these diseases become endemic – they become household names once again.

  Source
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  Tina Q. Tan, MD

  Pediatric Infectious Diseases

  •

  Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

  The decrease in kindergarten MMR vaccinations will definitely hurt our herd/community immunity, and more susceptible individuals at all ages will be infected,”

  Source
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  Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

  Medicine

  •

  Harvard Medical School

  They went away because nearly everyone got vaccinated against them, and the vaccines worked. They’re coming back because fewer people are getting the vaccines.

  Source