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News
Fewer Americans believe the MMR vaccine is safe for kids — and the timing couldn't be worse. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 76% of Americans now view the measles vaccine as safe, down from 84% in 2020, as the U.S. faces its worst measles outbreak in 35 years with over 3,000 confirmed cases and three deaths in Pennsylvania alone.
Vaccine confidence is slipping — and measles is making a comeback. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 76% of Americans consider the MMR vaccine safe for children, down from 84% in 2020. The sharpest drop came among Republicans, a trend that tracks with the current administration's skeptical stance on vaccines. President Trump signed an executive order to shrink the federal childhood vaccination schedule, and Health Secretary RFK Jr. has continued to raise doubts about MMR safety, including repeating the debunked claim that the vaccine contains aborted fetal tissue.
The backdrop is alarming: the U.S. has recorded more than 3,000 measles cases this year — the most in 35 years — with active outbreaks in Pennsylvania, Utah, and South Carolina. Pennsylvania has reported three measles-related deaths. Average kindergarten vaccination coverage has dropped to 92.5%, below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity, and the U.S. is expected to lose its measles elimination status later this year.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Declining vaccine trust, driven in part by political messaging, is translating directly into real-world harm. With herd immunity eroding and elimination status at risk, the U.S. is at a critical inflection point — one that could define the trajectory of measles and other preventable diseases for years to come.
