Declining Vaccination Rates Threaten Herd Immunity in Allegheny County Schools

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 03:11:00 +0200

Vaccination coverage in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is showing concerning trends, especially among kindergartners. Data from the 2023-24 school year reveals that one in three kindergarten classrooms lacks the vaccination levels necessary to prevent a measles outbreak. Private and parochial schools are more affected than public schools due to higher rates of exemptions for moral or religious reasons. Even small declines in vaccination rates increase the risk of disease spread. Combination vaccines, such as MMR, have been proven safe and effective for decades, yet misinformation linking vaccines to autism and concerns about multiple shots at once have led some officials to advocate splitting them, despite scientific evidence against this. The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, traditionally responsible for providing evidence-based guidance, was disrupted in 2025 when all members were replaced by individuals with questionable qualifications. This politicization has amp