On January 20, South Carolina health officials confirmed 88 new measles cases over the weekend, bringing the state’s total to 646. The state’s rising case count may soon surpass the 2025 West Texas outbreak as the largest in several decades. As experts urge vaccination, social media users expressed concern about the outbreak’s rapid expansion and the risk of spread to other states. Many posts blamed the outbreak on the anti-vaccine movement and questioned whether nonmedical exemptions for school vaccinations should be allowed. Several commenters downplayed the severity of measles, with some falsely claiming that immunity gained through vaccination is “artificial” and inferior to natural immunity through infection. Others recommended vitamin A to prevent or treat measles, despite no evidence that these approaches are effective.
Recommendation
False and misleading claims about measles severity and the importance of MMR vaccination may cause parents to delay or refuse vaccination during an active outbreak. Health communicators may explain that measles is a serious disease with a unique ability to cause lasting damage to a child’s immune system. Messaging may emphasize that vaccination is the only safe way to prevent measles and that allowing children to catch measles to gain “natural immunity” puts them at unnecessary risk of serious complications and death. Debunking messaging may also emphasize that vitamin A does not prevent or treat measles infections and is not a substitute for vaccination. Finally, emphasizing that vaccination is safe, 97 percent effective against measles infection, and provides lifelong protection is recommended.
Fact-checking sources: Johns Hopkins, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Public Good News
Communication resources: Explore more tools to help you talk about measles
