Measles Cases Surged in 2025 as Vaccination Rates Dropped
As measles cases rise across the U.S., declining vaccination rates prompt new questions about public health, prevention, and community risk.
Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
Measles, one of the world’s most contagious diseases, was declared eliminated in the U.S. more than 25 years ago. However, measles cases have skyrocketed in the U.S. as vaccination rates continue to decline, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic. Stephanie Sy spoke with Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University, about the ramifications and reasons behind the outbreak.
View the transcript of the story.
Warm-Up Questions
- When were the measles officially eliminated from the United States?
- Who is most vulnerable to measles?
- Where have the measles outbreaks occurred?
- How could measles be prevented?
- Why are cases of measles skyrocketing?
Essential Questions
- What do you think state and federal government leaders in the U.S. need to do to maintain measles elimination status? How significant of a problem is it that some federal officials, including the advisory board member cited in the story, are providing information counter to medical science? What do you think the role of families and schools should be?
- Media literacy: The stories opens and closes with information about the history of the U.S.'s measles elimination status. Take a look at the Reuters article European countries including UK lose measles elimination status. Why is the trend to not get vaccinated happening at a global level (note: the vast majority of people still get vaccinated and support vaccination)? How do organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), which the U.S. recently left, help to address health challenges?
What Students Can Do
Examine the two charts below with a family member, peer or neighbor. What do you notice? If you wanted to research measles cases in your state, start with your state's department of health website. Take a look at Tennessee's site. What information is included on the page? How could you find out why certain areas have been more affected than others? What does the site say about vaccinations?
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Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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