California’s Vaccination Challenge
As the new school year approaches, many students in California will start classes without the measles vaccination. A recent analysis by the ABC Data Team highlighted concerning vaccination statistics across various counties in the state.
Counties Falling Below Herd Immunity
According to data sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 16 counties in California have lost herd immunity against measles. Loss of herd immunity occurs when vaccination rates for kindergarten students drop below 95%, which increases the likelihood of the measles virus spreading.
Lowest Vaccination Rates
Sutter County, located near Sacramento, currently holds the lowest vaccination rate in California, at a concerning 75.8%. In contrast, vaccination rates in Southern California remain relatively high, with Los Angeles County at 97.1% and Orange County slightly higher at 97.4%.
San Bernardino County’s Concerns
However, San Bernardino County’s vaccination rate has fallen below the herd immunity threshold, currently sitting at 93.5%. Dr. Alvaro Garcia from Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital expresses alarm about the implications of these figures. He noted a troubling rise in other childhood diseases.
“One of the biggest ones that is probably making a comeback, even in San Bernardino, is whooping cough,” Dr. Garcia stated. “It is much more commonly diagnosed than it used to be in the last five years.”
Nationwide Trends
Nationally, the CDC reports that only 92.5% of kindergarten students were vaccinated against measles during the last school year. This indicates that the country has not maintained herd immunity since it peaked at 95.2% in 2020.
