Bold claim: Measles outbreaks are surging across the United States, and the country is on track to lose its measles-elimination status—a shift many infectious disease experts tie directly to President Trump’s appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
This week, South Carolina quarantined at least 254 people after confirming more than two dozen measles cases, marking a continuation of what many see as the worst year for measles in recent memory. Earlier in the year, a West Texas outbreak surpassed 700 confirmed cases since January and claimed two child lives. The CDC tallies 47 reported outbreaks nationwide so far this year.
Fiona Havers, a former CDC infectious disease staffer and current adjunct associate professor at the Emory School of Medicine, called the situation a stark example of the damage caused by the anti-vaccine movement in the United States.
Kennedy was once one of the country’s most prominent anti-vaccine voices when Trump appointed him to head the HHS. Since taking office, Kennedy has pushed to reshape the nation’s vaccine advisory structures and other government bodies to reflect his views.
A nation loses its measles-elimination status when there are at least 12 consecutive months of sustained transmission.
Measles has also spiked in Canada and Mexico this year, with Canada officially losing its measles-elimination status last month.
The United States was declared to have eliminated measles in 2000; next January 20 would mark 12 straight months of uninterrupted transmission if the current trend continues, making that milestone seem increasingly likely.
Havers described the situation as extremely embarrassing for the U.S. and attributed ongoing outbreaks to several factors. One major factor, she said, is decades of misinformation about measles vaccines spread by Kennedy and others in the anti-vaccine movement, which has driven vaccination rates downward. She noted that containment is becoming harder as vaccination rates decline.
Havers suggested that a different administration might have maintained stronger public messaging and funding—such as regular CDC updates to the press on outbreak status and increased outreach to states through media campaigns highlighting vaccination as the key control strategy.
Kennedy publicly acknowledged the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine as the most effective way to prevent measles after the Texas death of an eight-year-old girl. This marked a notable shift for Kennedy, who has long questioned vaccine safety and efficacy and previously claimed the MMR vaccine carries an unacceptably high risk of injury and could be linked to autism, despite no causal evidence supporting that claim.
During his confirmation, Kennedy indicated a shift in HHS priorities away from infectious disease toward chronic illness in general.
Technically, losing elimination status is a formal recognition that measles transmission has continued for 12 months straight. Yet Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy argues the 12-month marker is less critical than acknowledging the escalating crisis. He notes Canada’s situation—about 5,000–6,000 cases for 41 million people—and warns the U.S. could face a much larger outbreak given its population of roughly 340 million.
In Canada, regaining elimination status would require interrupting transmission for at least 12 months and coordinating with regional health authorities, such as the Pan American Health Organization, to reverse the trend.
Osterholm believes the recent rise in measles activity would have occurred regardless of the administration, but he criticizes the current U.S. approach for seemingly fanning the flames with certain public comments.
When asked whether HHS and the CDC under Kennedy would prioritize regaining elimination status, Havers expressed pessimism, suggesting the administration is more focused on vaccine risks than on the risks posed by preventable diseases. She pointed to the year with 12 months of continuous measles circulation as evidence of a worsening national situation.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon stated that elimination status depends on 12 months of continuous transmission and that the current assessment has not yet met that criterion. He emphasized Kennedy’s position that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles and encouraged people to consult with healthcare providers for guidance.
Summary: The current surge in measles cases has prompted debate about vaccination policy, public messaging, and the leadership of HHS. Whether the U.S. will retain or lose its elimination status may hinge on how quickly transmission can be interrupted and how effectively public health agencies communicate and deploy resources in the coming months.
