We study pandemics, and the resurgence of measles is a grim sign of what’s coming
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The Bottom Line
Measles is continuously circulating in the U.S. due to declining vaccination rates.
How This Affects You
Declining MMR vaccination rates below 95% increase individual risk of measles infection.
AI Summary
As of March 2026, measles has been continuously circulating around the U.S. for over a year, with 1,300 infections confirmed this year as of March 6. The U.S. eliminated measles in 2000, but 47 states have seen cases since the start of 2025, and 30 states have had cases this year. This resurgence follows outbreaks in Texas from January to August 2025, an ongoing outbreak on the Utah and Arizona border beginning in August, and an ongoing outbreak in South Carolina that drastically increased in January 2026. The return of measles is attributed to falling vaccination rates, with the overall U.S. MMR vaccination rate dropping below the 95 percent needed for herd immunity since about 2019-2020.
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