The Resurgence of Measles in the United States | CommonHealth Live!

Why It Matters

Stalled vaccination rates and rising exemptions threaten public‑health safety and strain state budgets, signaling a potential shift toward endemic vaccine‑preventable diseases in the U.S.

Key Takeaways

• 3,000+ measles cases since Jan 2025.
• South Carolina alone reports ~1,000 cases early 2026.
• Pertussis hits 30,000 cases in 2025.
• Immunization rates flat; exemptions rising.
• Economic strain on state health systems.

Pulse Analysis

The United States is confronting its most severe measles resurgence in decades, with more than 3,000 confirmed infections since January 2025 and a single state—South Carolina—accounting for nearly a thousand cases in just the first two months of 2026. Parallel spikes in pertussis, reaching 30,000 cases last year, underscore a broader erosion of vaccine confidence. Data from state health departments reveal that routine immunization coverage has plateaued while non‑medical exemption filings climb, a trend driven by misinformation, politicized health debates, and uneven school‑entry requirements.

Beyond the public‑health toll, the outbreaks generate substantial fiscal pressure. Hospital admissions, intensive contact‑tracing operations, and expanded laboratory surveillance strain local and state budgets already stretched by pandemic recovery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each measles hospitalization can cost upwards of $15,000, while widespread pertussis outbreaks add indirect expenses such as parental work loss. These financial burdens amplify calls for more efficient funding mechanisms and for integrating vaccination incentives into broader health‑security strategies.

Policymakers and security analysts are therefore urging a coordinated response. The upcoming CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security forum on March 12 will bring together senior experts to examine how domestic exemption policies intersect with global immunization gaps and to explore actionable solutions—from tightening school‑entry exemption criteria to bolstering cross‑border data sharing. Strengthening federal guidance, investing in community outreach, and aligning public‑health resources with national security priorities could curb the current trajectory and safeguard the United States against endemic vaccine‑preventable diseases.

Original Description

Since January 2025, the United States has confirmed more than 3,000 cases of measles across multiple states - with South Carolina reporting nearly 1000 cases in just the first two months of 2026. The economic costs of these outbreaks pose a burden to local and state health agencies through hospitalizations, surveillance, and contact tracing, among other measures. Cases of pertussis are similarly high, with nearly 30,000 cases in 2025. Immunization coverage has stalled, and data indicate a rising trend of non-medical exemptions in states throughout the country. What is driving the resurgence of some vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States? Are we heading into a future of endemic measles, pertussis, and other disease outbreaks? How do the domestic outbreaks connect to global issues around immunization coverage and health security?

Please join the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security on March 12, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM ET, for a broadcast conversation with Katherine E. Bliss, Senior Fellow and Director, Immunizations and Health Systems Resilience, with the CSIS Global Health Policy Center and J. Stephen Morrison, Senior Vice President and Director, CSIS Global Health Policy Center, regarding the current outbreaks, the threats posed by sustained disease transmission, and opportunities for regional and international collaboration to prevent and respond to health security challenges.

This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

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