What declining vaccination rates mean for families in Allegheny County – where 1 in 3 kindergarten classrooms lack herd immunity for measles
Quick Insights
The Bottom Line
Declining vaccination rates in Allegheny County mean one-third of kindergarten classrooms lack measles herd immunity.
How This Affects You
Families in Allegheny County face increased measles risk, as 2,255 U.S. cases in 2025 nearly doubled the 2019 peak.
AI Summary
Declining vaccination rates in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, mean that one in three kindergarten classrooms lacked the necessary herd immunity for measles during the 2023-24 school year. This data, obtained via The Washington Post in January 2026, indicates a coverage level below the 95% required to stop measles spread. The disparity is largely due to higher rates of vaccination exemptions in private and parochial/religious schools compared to public schools. In June 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, appointing new members with questionable qualifications. This disruption to evidence-based recommendations has real-world consequences, with 2,255 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. in 2025, nearly double the 2019 peak.
What's Being Done
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed and replaced the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices members in June 2025.
Source Coverage Map
2 of 43 tracked sources covered this story
Following this story?
Get notified when new coverage appears
Other Sources Covering This Story
1 sourceMultiple outlets have reported on this story. Compare perspectives from different sources.
Should this be getting more attention?
You Might Have Missed
Related stories from different sources and perspectives
PoliticsCasey Means’s brother says ‘conversations happening’ in surgeon general confirmation process
Senior White House adviser Calley Means said on Thursday that “conversations are ongoing” amid doubts over whether his sister, surgeon general nominee Casey Means, has enough votes in the Senate for confirmation. Calley Means was asked during an appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill” whether the White House still expected Casey Means to be the next…
HealthUS fertility rates drop to record low in 2025 as births fall - Reuters
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxQLUhPYWlsQTZSZ1VPeWpjQzl3WjNWN2NobkZLbndYZGQyZ09uNXRJY1lvZjF4UFRPUVA4ZENMYWxKMXpNX0FjcXBET3RPY1hSdFhPdmNkcXRfUEFXdFZNRTBHQUROWFlzUnB1U2RiWllCRlRLUnBhWVZ4Z0w4UGhJMVVPandpYXUtNGxYQld4dktQLUswcjBad2w5NmJTNnlPVGFXblBPN2M4TVJKVzhjYkZOaWhpSWF4ZWc4X1p1VkY?oc=5" target="_blank">US fertility rates drop to record low in 2025 as births fall</a> <font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>
PoliticsEra of political violence means higher costs for candidate security, a new report says - AP News
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxPWFk5QUFYOXVDdzA3Y2NFYjhJMkdyTHZwOFpHUjNsNXFueU5BUXpCTnRhZTNmZDZscWJ4Y0NTNG93X01XdlJWSDBBaV9aanNLSnVXRmNqb055MDFtVk5qaHNiVHZLSXk5YW5PS2FBWmxtRUg0M2NMNDAzWkFCZzA3Tk5iaV90dTluYlBMckh2MU81T093VWtHSVNfQ1NsOVdJbDZ4R3VpSGIzc0hrc2hsaV94V2RYU1lUV0dfU1B0WWZrejg?oc=5" target="_blank">Era of political violence means higher costs for candidate security, a new report says</a> <font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>
Civil RightsCanadian mother held by ICE with daughter, 7, speaks out on families ‘suffering greatly’ in detention
<p>Tania Warner and her seven-year-old daughter were detained in Texas facilities deemed ‘unsafe and degrading’</p><p>When Tania Warner and her seven-year-old daughter, Ayla, were released after nearly three weeks of detention by US <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ice-us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)</a>, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/canada">Canadian</a> mother’s joy at regaining her freedom was tempered by the knowledge of the many families who remained incarcerated.</p><p>“They were wonderful people. I just loved them and I cried so hard when I left, I just wanted to take them all with me,” she said.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/ice-canadian-mother-daughter-texas">Continue reading...</a>
PoliticsCalifornia bill aims to let families change "accident" label on DUI-related death certificates
Families of victims killed in DUI-related crashes are pushing to change how those deaths are recorded on official documents, arguing the term "accident" fails to reflect the reality of what happened.
EnvironmentAn American Company Drilled for Oil in Kenya — and Left Behind Soaring Cancer Rates
Amoco, now part of BP, never cleaned up after its failed oil prospecting mission. Rural Kenyans are suing for a right to a clean environment. The post An American Company Drilled for Oil in Kenya — and Left Behind Soaring Cancer Rates appeared first on The Intercept .
‘I didn’t want to be on medication the rest of my life’: veteran runs psilocybin retreats for PTSD before FDA approval
<p>Researchers say ‘magic mushrooms’ can help with traumatic symptoms, but urge caution as states expand access</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&utm_campaign=BN22326&utm_content=signup&utm_term=standfirst&utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox</a></p></li></ul><p>After three combat deployments in Afghanistan, during which he suffered traumatic brain injuries from concussive blasts, army ranger Jesse Gould developed post-traumatic stress <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/mental-health">disorder</a> and said he “drank almost every night to cope”.</p><p>In times of hardship, veterans sometimes turn to “medication and talk therapy, but it tends to be more of a maintenance program than actually overcoming it”, Gould said, but added that at age 38...
Did this story change how you see things?
Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.
The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.
See our sourcesMost Read This Week
Fuel efficiency a hot topic at New York Auto Show
How China fell for a lobster: What an AI assistant tells us about Beijing's ambition
Over-the-counter medication abortion? These researchers say it would be safe
Supreme Court returns state-secrets privilege case to lower court
US Democratic lawmakers visit Cuba, call on Trump to "bring the rhetoric down" - Reuters
