Recurring measles outbreaks in the U.S. carry substantial economic costs, with containment efforts potentially reaching tens of thousands of dollars per case. A single outbreak in Washington state in 2018-2019 cost $3.2 million. A mere 1 percent drop in MMR vaccine coverage could cost the U.S. billions.
Measles control serves as a proxy for a nation's ability to manage other infectious diseases. However, beyond measles, diseases like whooping cough have seen sharp increases. This decline in control stems from a loss of public trust in public health institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With less than half of the public trusting government vaccine information, these cracks in public health infrastructure will make future threats, from pandemics to biological attacks, more challenging to manage.