stopping measles before it starts: the power of prevention

The U.S. experienced many changes and challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic that shook the globe, but one unanticipated consequence was restricted access to routine healthcare. One peer review study highlights the impacts of such restrictions and local policies, by observing the association between areas experiencing lower levels of vaccine confidence and increased cases of measles, mumps, or rubella. According to the researchers: 

Various factors have been shown to impact childhood vaccination rates in the U.S, including parental vaccine hesitancy, socioeconomic disparities, political affiliation, policy differences across states, and online misinformation. Beyond the more traditional determinants of vaccination choice, the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the decline in routine childhood vaccination coverage, potentially due to the disruption of healthcare services and the diversion of public health resources. Furthermore, the widespread hesitation around vaccines observed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. - characterized by significant regional disparities in vaccination uptake and strong influences of political and social factors, has raised concerns about potential spillover effects on routine childhood vaccination acceptance and coverage.

In essence, while there are many factors that impact and influence vaccination rates, restrictions to routine healthcare services, such as vaccinations, and increased public uncertainty and confusion about vaccines, are beginning to illustrate trends towards decreased vaccination rates, as shown below.

Because of this, we are seeing an increase in confirmed measles cases across the country, including Washington State. So far this year, the state has six confirmed cases of measles within both King and Snohomish County. Five of these cases were associated with travel abroad and one was the result of public exposure from another confirmed case. With the release of schools and accompanying summer travel plans, it’s especially important to consider vaccination status before traveling, especially if traveling with infants or children. Find everything you need to know about measles and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, here Washington State Department of Health and here Center for Disease Control.  

To find local vaccine providers go here Vaccines.com and here Find a Health Center site for free or reduced cost options.  

Resources: 

• Washington State Department of Health 

• Center for Disease Control 

• Dong, E., Saiyed, S., Nearchou, A., Okura, Y., & Gardner, L. M. (2025). The Pandemic’s Echo: A Population-Based Assessment of MMR Rates and Associated Factors in the Wake of COVID-19. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.13.25322239.