Declining immunization threatens decades of public health progress.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
A resurgence of measles in the United States is raising concerns across Europe, where vaccination gaps could allow the highly contagious disease to spread through communities with insufficient immunity. More than 4,500 cases have been reported in the United States during 2026, roughly double the previous year’s total, placing the country’s measles elimination status at risk and exposing vulnerabilities that extend far beyond American borders.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that imported infections can trigger outbreaks when the virus reaches populations with inadequate vaccination coverage. Although Europe maintains substantial protection overall, immunization levels remain below the threshold generally required to prevent sustained measles transmission.
Recent European vaccination figures indicate coverage of approximately 92% for the first dose and 88% for the second. Both fall short of the recommended 95% two-dose coverage needed at national and community levels. The difference is particularly important because national averages can conceal neighborhoods or population groups where considerably fewer people are protected.
Measles spreads through the air and can remain infectious in an enclosed space after an infected person leaves. Individuals can transmit the virus before developing its characteristic rash, making early identification difficult and allowing international travel to accelerate its geographical spread.
Kitty Mohan, vice-president of the Standing Committee of European Doctors and its rapporteur on vaccination, has emphasized the risks associated with international mobility. A person who does not yet recognize the symptoms may travel across several countries while infectious, potentially exposing people who have not completed their vaccination schedules.
The consequences can be severe, particularly for infants, immunocompromised individuals and people unable to receive vaccines for medical reasons. Complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis and death. These vulnerable groups depend partly on high community vaccination coverage to reduce opportunities for the virus to circulate.
The United States faces a particularly concerning epidemiological traj