A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll highlights growing public skepticism about the Trump administration\u2019s handling of the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. in 25 years, with 40% of respondents expressing dissatisfaction and only 31% expressing confidence in containment efforts. Over 1,000 cases have been reported nationwide, reviving debates about vaccination policies and public health preparedness.
Despite measles being declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, declining childhood vaccination rates — now at 92.7% for the 2023-2024 school year, down from 95.2% in 2020 — have weakened herd immunity. Public trust in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine remains strong, with 86% of respondents calling it safe. However, 13% now view it as unsafe, up from 10% in 2020.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s mixed messaging on vaccine efficacy has drawn criticism from health experts, who fear worsening vaccine hesitancy. Kennedy has reiterated support for vaccines but faced scrutiny for downplaying the outbreak\u2019s severity.
Notably, 76% of poll respondents — including bipartisan majorities — agreed parents have a duty to vaccinate children. However, 25% of Republicans rejected this stance. In outbreak hotspots like Gaines County, Texas, where only 82% of kindergartners are vaccinated, skepticism has fueled infections and two child deaths.
The poll also found 55% of Americans worry about measles, matching job-loss concerns but trailing inflation anxieties (80%). Only 32% believe current measures will prevent measles from reemerging as a common illness.
The findings underscore challenges in balancing public health priorities with shifting political and social dynamics ahead of the 2024 election cycle.
