Researchers at Johns Hopkins University produced a new county-level dataset showing the decline of MMR vaccination rates for Kindergarteners between the 2017-2018 school year and the 2023-2024 school year, identifying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the current increase in measles cases in the U.S., according to a research letter published yesterday in JAMA.
According to the data, across the 2,066 counties in 33 states where vaccination data were publicly available, the researchers found that in 78% of counties (n=1,614), there was a decline in MMR vaccination coverage, and only 4 states included in the study (California, Connecticut, Maine and New York) reported an increase in county-level vaccination rates. The mean county-level vaccination rates from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic decreased from 93.9% to 91.3%, a mean decline of 2.67% (SD +/- 5.3%).
"Our county-level dataset complements the state- and national-level CDC data, confirming a widespread decline in MMR vaccination rates in the US after the COVID-19 pandemic while revealing significant heterogeneity in vaccination patterns within and across states. This dataset can be used in spatial and statistical analyses to identify factors associated with low or declining MMR rates in US counties and help inform targeted vaccination strategies to reduce the risk of measles outbreaks."
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