Measles Exposure Reported at Boise Airport Amid Low Vaccination Rates

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:08:00 +0200

A person infected with measles passed through Boise Airport in Idaho, raising public health concerns due to the state’s low vaccination coverage. Idaho has the lowest measles vaccination rate in the United States, with only 78.5% of kindergartners fully immunized during the 2024–2025 school year. Non-medical exemptions account for the majority of children who are unvaccinated. Health officials are notifying passengers who may have shared flights with the infected individual and are urging residents to ensure they are fully vaccinated with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Measles symptoms typically start with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a rash a few days later. Infected individuals can spread the virus for several days before and after the rash appears. Although Idaho has had relatively few cases so far in 2026, public health authorities warn that underreporting may obscure the true number of infections. With only 85% possible maximum vaccination co