July 24th, 2026

Measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000.


Now, in 2026, we are watching that achievement slip away.


The U.S. has already recorded 2,295 measles cases this year—the highest annual total in 35 years—and there are still months left in 2026.


That is not a coincidence. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to medicine, and it takes advantage of communities where vaccination rates fall below the level needed to stop transmission.


Large outbreaks in states including South Carolina and Utah are a warning of what happens when misinformation and declining vaccination rates create gaps in protection.


The MMR vaccine has been safely protecting children and communities for decades. Two doses provide excellent protection against measles and helped keep this disease largely out of our lives for a generation.


But measles does not care about political arguments, social media misinformation, or personal beliefs. It spreads through the air—and it can spread rapidly among people who are unvaccinated or too young to be fully protected.


As a physician, I find it deeply frustrating to see children hospitalized with a disease we know how to prevent.


Vaccination is not just about protecting your own child. It helps protect newborns, people with weakened immune systems, and others who may not be able to receive the vaccine.


We should not be bringing measles back.


www.ruthhaskinsmd.com


#vaccinate #OBGYN #ladydocfolsom #ruthhaskinsmd
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