Diseases Like Measles, Whooping Cough Rising Due to Low Vaccination Rates

Doctors say a rise in infectious disease rates in the U.S. is largely due to declining vaccination rates. Luis Velasco/Getty Images Doctors are reporting increases in infectious diseases, including measles, whooping cough, rotavirus, and others, especially in children. Experts say the primary reason for the rise of these illnesses is the increasing number of adults and children who are not vaccinated. They say it’s important for medical professionals to educate their patients about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Doctors are reporting what they describe as an alarming rise in a variety of serious illnesses due to declining vaccination rates. Measles is a significant concern amid ongoing outbreaks in the United States, but concerns about whooping cough, rotavirus, and other diseases are also mounting. Children who aren’t vaccinated appear to be bearing the brunt of these illnesses, but officials also note an increase in unvaccinated adults requiring hospitalization, including some who refuse tetanus shots and blood transfusions. The news comes a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order reaffirming an assessment by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that aligns “the United States’ childhood vaccine practices with scientific evidence and best practices from peer, developed countries.” The executive order notes that in 1980, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended children in the United States receive 23 vaccine doses in seven shots against seven different diseases. In 2024, that number had risen to at least 84 vaccine doses in at least 57 shots for 17 diseases, more than any other developed nation. In January, HHS officials led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a new childhood vaccination schedule that recommended vaccination against 11 diseases. The six other diseases were recommended only for children at higher risk. “After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U