Decades of progress in preventing measles may be slipping away. A new NBC News data investigation reveals a growing divide across the country, with childhood MMR vaccination rates falling in most counties.
The News4 I-Team broke down the findings and what they mean for families in the D.C. area.
The vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella is one of the safest and most effective tools in preventing the spread of measles, a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. But new numbers suggest a deep divide across the country.
NBC News teamed up with Stanford University to collect and analyze the latest vaccine data from counties across the U.S. and found continued erosion of vaccination rates, which has led to the worst measles outbreak in 35 years.
Since 2019, childhood MMR vaccination rates have dropped in 82% of the counties and jurisdictions reporting data, with more than half reporting a decline in just the most recent year.
For protection, public health experts recommend that 95% of the community be vaccinated against measles to help prevent outbreaks. But the data shows 75% of counties are now below that recommended threshold.
Here at home, there’s good news and bad news. First, in Maryland, a positive story: MMR vaccination rates were 97% in Montgomery County and 98% in Prince George’s County last year. D.C. came in just below the recommended threshold, at 94%.
But Virginia’s 2024 numbers show some important differences from one community to another. Most jurisdictions, including Loudoun, Prince William, Fairfax and Stafford counties, were above 95%.
But Spotsylvania County was at 93% and Alexandria City was the lowest, at only 88%. So, what happens when vaccination rates vary from one school and one neighborhood to the next? NBC medical correspondent Dr. Natalie Azar explains.
“In a community where 95% of people have been vaccinated, we shouldn’t see sustained transmission,” she said.
There have been nearly 5,000 measles cases nationwide this year alone, including six deaths in Pennsylvania, and the death of a child in New York.
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