A new study published in JAMA warns that the U.S. could face millions of measles cases over the next 25 years if vaccination rates continue to decline.
Researchers modeled several scenarios and found that if current vaccination rates hold steady, the U.S. could see around 851,300 measles cases. A 10% drop in vaccination rates could lead to 11.1 million cases, while a 50% drop could trigger 51.2 million cases.
Measles was previously eliminated in the U.S. thanks to the MMR vaccine, but declining vaccination rates have sparked a resurgence. Researchers also warned that falling rates could cause a resurgence of polio and rubella, potentially leading to 10.3 million hospitalizations and 159,200 deaths.
Despite decades of data supporting vaccine safety, public skepticism remains, fueled in part by figures such as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has questioned vaccine safety.
Experts emphasize that vaccines remain the only effective method to prevent measles, a highly contagious disease that can cause serious and sometimes fatal complications.
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