Measles and the Collective American Memory: 3 Questions

Measles cases are edging up in the US again as MMR vaccination rates continue to decline. Have parents forgotten the Ohio outbreak of 2022? Have you? Find out, here.

As of early March 2024, 41 documented cases of measles have been reported in 15 states, a sobering reminder of the decline in US MMR immunization rates. Is is possible the collective memory of US parents is just too short for the 2022 measles outbreak in Ohio? For clinicians at work in primary care, it's worth a look back at the outbreak and its consequences. The ages of the infected ranged from 6 months to 15 years. The index cases were some unvaccinated persons returned from east Africa.

Test your memory with 3 questions that include a hypothetical clinic scenario.


Question 1. Of the 85 reported cases in this central Ohio outbreak, what percentage had received at least one MMR vaccine?