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What Is Causing the 2026 US Measles Outbreak? Vaccination Rates, Travel, and Immigration Examined

View OpEd: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/what-is-causing-2026-us-measles-outbreak-vaccination-rates-travel-immigration-examined   
     

References:        
       
1. CBS News. Transcript: Rep. Byron Donalds on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Aug. 23, 2026 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/byron-donalds-florida-governor-candidate-face-the-nation-transcript-08-23-2026/
 
2. The White House. Secure the Border. Accessed Oct. 1, 2026 https://www.whitehouse.gov/priorities/border-immigration/
 
3. Immunizations, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB). Measles and Rubella Global Situation Update. WHO. Sept. 2026. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fimmunizationdata.who.int%2Fdocs%2Flibrariesprovider21%2Fmeasles-and-rubella%2Fglobal-mr-update.pptx%3Fsfvrsn%3D3547ebab_9&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK
 
4. Measles Cases and Outbreaks. CDC. Sept. 25, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
 
5. Kentucky Dept. for Public Health. Kentucky Measles Case Data. Oct. 1, 2026. https://dashboard.chfs.ky.gov/views/MeaslesDashboard/MeaslesDashboard?%3Aembed=y&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y
 
6. Childhood Immunization Status, Kentucky. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Sept. 16, 2026. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/resources/reports/monitoring-childhood-immunization-at-the-state-level/kentucky
 
7. McDonald R, Ruppert PS, Souto M, et al. Notes from the Field: Measles Outbreaks from Imported Cases in Orthodox Jewish Communities — New York and New Jersey, 2018–2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:444–445. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6819a4
 
8. Sulek M. Chicago doctor concerned about Texas measles outbreak. CBS News. Feb. 24, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-doctor-concerned-texas-measles-outbreak/
 
9. Cercone J. Ask PolitiFact: Is Texas measles outbreak linked to ‘border’? No evidence, officials say. PolitiFact. Feb. 26, 2025. Ask PolitiFact: Is Texas measles outbreak linked to ‘border’? No evidence, officials say – PolitiFact 
    
10. Measles (MMR) Vaccination Rate by Country. World Atlas. Accessed Oct. 1, 2026. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-highest-measles-vaccination-rates.html
 
11. Our World in Data. Vaccination Coverage, United States, 2024. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/global-vaccination-coverage?tab=discrete-bar&time=latest&country=~USA  
 
12. Paul ML, Ovalle D, Nakamura D. Measles cases identified at ICE’s largest detention facility for children. The Washington Post. Jan. 28, 2926. https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/02/03/ice-immigration-measles-texas-children/
 
13. Ulloa D. ICE confirms 7 detainees infected with measles at Arizona facility. The Arizona Republic. July 8, 2026. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/immigration/2026/07/08/ice-confirms-7-detainees-infected-with-measles-at-arizona-facility/90837931007/
 
14. Kriel L, Nguyen A. 14 measles cases reported at El Paso ICE tent camp as Democrats call for its shuttering. Mar. 3, 2026. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/03/texas-ice-detention-measles-east-montana-dilley-el-paso/
 
15. Travel Vaccine Advisor. United States. May 2026. https://travelvaccineadvisor.com/destination/united-states/
 
16. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Vaccination Requirements. July 8, 2025. https://www.uscis.gov/tools/designated-civil-surgeons/vaccination-requirements
 
17. Weber L, Gilbert C, Moriarty D, Lott J. U.S. vaccination rates are plunging. Look up where your school stands. The Washington Post. Dec. 31, 2025. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2025/measles-vaccine-schools-outbreaks-public-health/?
 
18. CDC. ChildVaxView. Vaccination Coverage among Young Children (0 – 35 Months). Mar. 26, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/childvaxview/about/interactive-reports.html
 
19. Choi J. CMS no longer requiring childhood vaccination data from states. The Hill. Jan. 5, 2026. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5673162-cms-drops-immunization-reporting/
 
20. AAP News. AAP analysis: 49% of children insured by Medicaid or CHIP. Feb. 27, 2025. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/31491/AAP-analysis-49-of-children-insured-by-Medicaid-or?autologincheck=redirected
 
21. Michaud J. Measles Elimination Status: What It Is and How the U.S. Could Lose It. KFF. Apr. 7, 2026. https://www.kff.org/other-health/measles-elimination-status-what-it-is-and-how-the-u-s-could-lose-it/