A modest increase of 5-10% in MMR vaccination coverage could drastically reduce measles cases to between 2,700 and 5,800.

Public health experts are launching initiatives to combat vaccine misinformation, including the Vaccine Integrity Project led by the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

Health authorities are urging parents to vaccinate their children to prevent further outbreaks of these contagious diseases, as vaccination rates have fallen below the critical 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, spreads through respiratory droplets and can be particularly severe in infants, who are at risk until they receive their vaccinations.

Recent cuts to public health funding have impacted access to vaccines and informational resources for parents, according to Adriane Casalotti of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

More than 7% of children aged 6 months to 6 years who developed whooping cough were unvaccinated, the highest rate since at least 2021, according to a provisional CDC report.

Tennessee confirmed six measles cases as of mid-April 2025, with ongoing public health investigations into the outbreak.

Declining childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. have led to a resurgence of measles, highlighted by a recent outbreak in western Texas that infected over 620 individuals, resulting in 64 hospitalizations and two deaths.

If the current trend continues, 2025 could see the highest number of whooping cough cases since the vaccine was introduced in 1948, with predictions indicating 851,300 measles cases and 18 cases of poliomyelitis under existing coverage.

Social media disinformation about vaccines has contributed to confusion among parents regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, according to Sapna Singh, chief medical officer for Texas Children’s Pediatrics.

Despite federal efforts being hampered by mixed messaging and misinformation, vaccination remains the most effective means to control outbreaks, making catch-up vaccination campaigns crucial.

The outbreak has resulted in three deaths of unvaccinated children, marking a stark contrast to the three deaths reported in all years since the disease was eliminated in 2000.