Atlanta, Ga. (April 24, 2025) – The number of reported cases of measles in the US this year has already more than doubled the number for all of 2024. This is happening as the percentage of children getting vaccinated against measles continues to decline.
CDC data shows that vaccination coverage among Georgia kindergartners has decreased from 93.1% during the 2019–2020 school year to 88.4% in 2023–2024.
During National Infant Immunization Week, April 21-28, it is important to discuss the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases. The first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended at 12 months old.
Of the 800 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., 70% of them are among persons 19 years of age and under, and the majority of them are unvaccinated against the virus. Children represent the largest group of measles-related hospitalizations and deaths.
“Although some people may only have a moderate illness from measles, 40% of unvaccinated children become sick enough to require hospitalization. One in 300 unvaccinated children will die,” said Lewis Jackson, MD, director of pediatrics for Piedmont. “Others, especially those who caught measles at less than 2 years of age, can later develop a severe neurologic condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). This is almost always fatal.”
Measles was nearly eradicated in the US, but doctors attribute the recent increase in cases to a rise in vaccine hesitancy over the last several years.
Vaccine safety. Some of the biggest concerns that have caused parents to become hesitant about vaccines are vaccine ingredients and concerns about developmental conditions caused by vaccines.
Dr. Jackson points out that while the vaccine does contain aluminum, everyone ingests aluminum in small quantities every day in the food supply as it is the third most abundant element after oxygen and silicon.
“The reality is that breast-fed babies get almost twice as much aluminum from breast-milk than they would get from vaccines, and formula-fed babies receive seven times as much,” he said.
Dr. Jackson said there are also multiple studies that have analyzed the effects of the vaccine on developmental conditions, such as autism.
“Some of the studies analyzed home videos of children prior to their MMR vaccine and confirmed that autistic features were present prior to the MMR but were so subtle that the parents had not recognized the differences just yet,” Dr. Jackson explained, “Multiple additional studies have shown that the incidence of autism is the same in vaccinated and in unvaccinated children, and identical twin studies have confirmed that autism is genetic.”
Pediatricians and primary care providers as a source of credibility and trust. Pediatricians and PCPs receive training on how to interpret medical literature, which includes research articles and new studies.
“We commit (and are required by state licensing boards) to lifelong learning to remain current on new information and discoveries related to our practice of pediatrics,” Dr. Jackson said. “This training equips us to discern the differences between legitimate scientific truth and information that is not valid or has its own secondary agenda.”
Talk to your pediatrician or PCP about the measles vaccine or any other vaccines recommended to help protect your child during their most sensitive periods. Most health insurance plans cover vaccines as part of routine preventive care.
To find a Piedmont provider near you, visit our provider directory.