Pennsylvania has seen two deaths from measles since the start of 2026 — the first measles-related deaths in 35 years.

There is one common thread between the 1990-91 Philadelphia measles outbreak that killed nine children and the two recent deaths in Lancaster County — none of those who died were vaccinated against the viral disease.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health states, “getting vaccinated is the best protection against measles, providing 97% lifetime protection after two doses.”

This week, Independence Health System reported a case of measles in Butler County after a patient tested positive in Buffalo Township. There is no treatment for measles once a person becomes infected — the only weapon to fight it is a preventive vaccine.

Measles is extremely contagious, so contagious in fact that the virus can live in a room for two hours after an infected patient leaves.

The reason we enjoyed a decades-long break from measles deaths is that the MMR vaccine — which covers measles, mumps and rubella — became mandatory for children entering public school in 1983.

While the vaccine has been mandatory for 43 years, that law has also come with a set of exemptions since its inception. Since day one, those with medical, religious or strong “moral and philosophical” objections could seek an exemption from having their children vaccinated.

So, what’s changed? How did we go from zero measles deaths for 35 years to two deaths this year so far?

The Hospital Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania says the vaccination target rate is 95% because that’s the figure that fights community transmission of the disease.

In the 2024-25 school year, Pennsylvania’s MMR vaccination rate fell to 92.4%.

Since the pandemic, the HHAP states, there has been a 3% increase in the number of kindergartners claiming a vaccine exemption putting the total percentage of incoming, unvaccinated students at 6%, mirroring nationwide trends.

In Butler County, 96.6% of 12th-grade students have received the MMR vaccine, along with 94.5% of seventh-grade students and 93.1% of kindergarten students.

Since the 1991 outbreak in Philadelphia through 2025, there were, on average, two cases of measles each year. In 2026, there have already been 393 cases of measles — including 89 cases that have popped up since Aug. 14, just in time for a new school year to get underway.

Symptoms begin much like any cold does, a fever, runny nose and cough. It veers away from cold symptoms when the red eyes show up followed by a red, spotty, flat rash that starts in a person’s mouth. By the time identifiable symptoms show up, the infected person has been contagious for at least four days.

The DOH reports there has been a surge in MMR vaccinations this month and staffers hope that means parents understand the very real risk measles represents.

Everyone can and should make their own healthcare decisions, but the best case scenario would be for people to research such decisions with peer-reviewed scientific studies and not opinion-based rhetoric. There is no shortage of science-based, medically tried and tested information available to us and there is no excuse for not taking advantage of it before making a choice that could impact the lives of children.

— KL