US faces worst measles outbreak in 35 years amid rising vaccine hesitancy

The United States is confronting its most severe measles outbreak in 35 years, with official figures revealing a significant surge in cases as vaccine hesitancy grows. Since the start of 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded 2,318 confirmed cases. This number already exceeds the total for 2025, which had set a record with 2,289 cases and three deaths, including two young children.

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We are witnessing an avoidable crisis that disproportionally hurts children. We should not accept this as our new normal.

Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, described the situation as an "avoidable crisis that disproportionally hurts children," emphasizing that it should not be accepted as the "new normal." Measles, characterized by fever, respiratory symptoms, and skin rashes, can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation, potentially causing long-term damage or death. The illness was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 due to widespread vaccination efforts.

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I definitely believe that there is underdiagnosis.

However, measles has made a significant comeback in recent years. This resurgence is linked to declining vaccination rates and increasing distrust in health authorities. Some critics point to figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been accused of spreading anti-vaccine sentiment and fueling fears about proven immunizations. The last time the U.S. saw a comparable number of measles cases was in 1991, with 9,643 recorded instances.

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When you think about the people who are choosing not to vaccinate their children, these are also the people that have medical hesitancy in general.

Experts anticipate the number of cases to continue rising, with concerns about underdiagnosis. Melissa Nolan, a professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, noted that individuals hesitant to vaccinate their children often exhibit general medical hesitancy. While measles vaccination is generally mandatory in the U.S., non-medical exemptions based on religious or philosophical reasons have surged, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, coinciding with a rise in vaccine misinformation.

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there is a plethora of places that you can go, and a lot of different social media feeds that will walk you through how to do the exemption