Several areas of Northern California, including three in the Bay Area, have childhood measles vaccination rates below the threshold for herd immunity — making them them potentially vulnerable to measles outbreaks, according to a recent study by vaccine researchers at Kaiser Permanente.
The findings, published July 30 in JAMA Open Network, highlight the fact that even though the state and most counties are highly vaccinated, there are still pockets at risk of outbreaks if measles is introduced. The issue is especially relevant now, as many parts of the country are reporting larger and more frequent measles outbreaks as vaccination rates decline.
“While California’s overall (vaccination) rates look pretty good, we still have to be watchful of these localized areas,” said lead author Dr. Karen Jacobson, a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. “If measles is introduced, these are areas that would be particularly vulnerable.”…