Americans’ faith in vaccines is fading, and it’s corresponding with a rapid rise in some diseases. Oregon recently experienced its biggest measles outbreak in five years: 30 cases, all among people who are not vaccinated. As of mid-August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 219 measles cases in the United States, up from 59 last year—a 271% increase.
According to a new poll from Gallup, the percentage of Americans who say vaccinating their children is essential has dropped from 58% in 2019 to 40%. Only 51% believe the government should require children to be vaccinated, down from 62% in 2019. Meanwhile, a CDC report found that vaccination rates dropped from 95% among kindergarteners during the 2019-2020 school year to 93% two years later. Two percent may not seem like much, but for diseases like measles, herd immunity becomes threatened when the vaccination rate falls below 95%.
Dr. Erin Corriveau, an associate professor of family medicine and community health at the University of Kansas Health System and a practicing physician, believes that the COVID pandemic may have caused some people to question vaccinations. “There was a lot of misinformation and disinformation from internet sources like TikTok, Reddit, etc.,” she says.