# Measles and Whooping Cough Cases Climbing as Vaccination Coverage Drops
Preventable diseases are making a comeback in communities with low vaccination rates. Measles and whooping cough cases have both risen in recent years, driven directly by declining immunization coverage among children.
Measles spreads through airborne droplets and can cause serious complications including pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. The disease remains highly contagious, infecting about 90 percent of unvaccinated people exposed to it. Whooping cough, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, produces severe coughing fits that can last weeks and poses particular danger to infants under six months old, who cannot yet complete their initial vaccine series.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella with two doses providing roughly 97 percent protection against measles. The DTaP vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) begins in infancy with a series of five shots by age six. Despite the proven safety and effectiveness of these vaccines, vaccination rates have fallen in pockets across the country.
Geographic clusters of vaccine hesitancy create conditions where these diseases can spread rapidly. When community vaccination rates drop below 90-95 percent, herd immunity protection breaks down, leaving vulnerable populations at risk. Infants too young for full vaccination, immunocompromised children, and people with legitimate medical contraindications depend on vaccinated neighbors for protection.
Parents concerned about vaccine safety can review data from the CDC and FDA, which monitor adverse events through systems like VAERS. The risks from measles and whooping cough far exceed the documented risks from their vaccines. A measles infection carries far greater chances of hospitalization and complications than vaccine side effects.
Pediatricians and public health officials urge parents to