Source: Fortune.com
Summary
Measles outbreaks in the US, including a recent one in South Carolina, have raised concerns about the vulnerability of babies too young to be vaccinated. The disease can be severe in infants, and dropping vaccination rates have eroded herd immunity. Doctors are working to protect the youngest against measles, but state legislation and misinformation have fueled vaccine skepticism. The US is on the verge of losing its status as a country that has eliminated measles, with 17 outbreaks this year and 48 last year.
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The strategy enters a familiar phase.
As measles spreads, doctors work to protect the youngest, but state legislation threatens to further reduce vaccination rates. A South Carolina bill would prohibit requiring vaccines for children under 2, which pediatricians say would be a “gut punch” to public health. The US is seeing a surge in anti-vaccine bills, with around 350 introduced nationwide. Doctors fear that misinformation and lack of trust in the government will lead to more outbreaks.
The numbers tell one story: 1,671 measles cases in the first three months of 2026, 73% of the total from 2025, the worst year for the virus in over three decades.
Author: Evan Null
