Overall, 63% of Americans say they are extremely or very confident that routine childhood vaccines are effective at preventing serious illness.
Among US adults, 23% say RFK Jr recommends that kids should get the measles vaccine, 29% say he does not recommend it, and 48% aren't sure.
One study found fairly high rates of flu, mumps, and hepatitis A, and the other found that only 28% of adults have been vaccinated against tetanus and diphtheria.
A call to develop separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines to replace the combined MMR shot is not backed by evidence.
For example, while overall coverage was 82% in Gaines County, the epicenter of the outbreak, school-based rates were as low as 46%.
A further 5% drop in coverage could substantially increase outbreak magnitudes in Texas, while restricting non–medical exemptions could increase US uptake.
The committee removes a long-standing ACIP recommendation that said parents may choose the MMRV vaccine for kids 12 to 47 months old.
Of the 2,066 counties, 1,614 (78%) showed a decline in coverage of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.
The 19 low- and middle-income countries experienced 28,000 congenital rubella syndrome cases—78% of the world's cases—in 2023 alone.
The false belief is undermining efforts to address the country's rising measles cases through vaccination.
