Fielding Notes | Dean's Corner 10.23.26
In 2000, the United States declared that measles had been eliminated. This was a major public health achievement made possible by vaccination. Yet in 2025, a total of 2,289 confirmed measles cases were reported in the U.S., according to the CDC. And as of October 15, 4,410 confirmed measles cases have been reported in our country so far this year. Plus, data has shown that vaccination rates for U.S. children in kindergarten have decreased and vaccination exemptions have increased. Where does this leave us?
One of public health’s greatest achievements is making vaccinations widely available. Vaccines save a life approximately every ten seconds. And vaccinations work by both individual and community (i.e., herd) immunity.
A 2024 study published in The Lancet found that in the previous 50 years, “…vaccination has averted 154 million deaths, including 146 million among children younger than 5 years of whom 101 million were infants younger than 1 year.”
And herd immunity is necessary in order for communities to thrive. Herd immunity prevents infection from traveling person-to-person, so that both people who are vaccinated and vulnerable individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons can remain free of infection. Polio, for example, requires a continued community immunity threshold of roughly 80 percent.
History has shown that lives are saved when medical and public health experts work in lockstep with communities. Partnering and providing accurate and timely information, as well as ensuring access to vaccines, is critical, especially to vulnerable populations. For instance, influenza vaccinations to those 65 years and older can prevent lung disease and increase lifespan.
And to close, with the arrival of flu season and an increase in cases of COVID-19 in some areas, I hope all eligible people will consider being vaccinated.
“If we stop worrying about our health, it will go away" by R. Orben (and thanks to Harry Lederman and Sandy Gooch for reminding me of this quote).