How Vaccines Safeguard Against Vulnerability - The Measles Outbreak and MMR Vaccine

Learn more here: https://bit.ly/vaccine-safeguard-mmr-measles 
Links to CDC Childhood Vaccine Schedule and Association of Immunization Managers 

The United States has a great tradition and track record of childhood vaccination. So much so that measles was declared eliminated from the United States in the year 2000, due to high vaccination rates of 97%. In the past 25 years, vaccination rates have fallen dramatically due to misinformation about side effects and autism. 

We are now seeing increasing outbreaks of measles. We now have the measles outbreak in West Texas that has now spread to New Mexico, California, Alaska, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Florida, starting with one unvaccinated person who returned to an unvaccinated community from foreign travel. 

We had 4 measles outbreaks in 2023, 16 outbreaks in 2024, and by February of 2025, just two months in, there have been 3 outbreaks. We are on track to have more outbreaks than 2023 and 2024 combined, given low vaccination rates. Measles outbreaks do not have to happen. They happen when we are not vaccinated. 

Joining us today is Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer, Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), board-certified pediatrician and former medical director of Tennessee’s Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program. Dr. Fiscus recently completed a 4-year term on the American Academy of Pediatrics Board of Directors and has served on workgroups for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.