VIDEO: Georgia officials warn of measles misinformation spreading as cases rise nationwide
Georgia Tech professor Dr. Peter Kasson discusses how misinformation has contributed to vaccine hesitancy and its role in the recent measles outbreak with WANF reporter Abby Kousouris.
WANF / Atlanta News First
Health officials are raising alarms over the spread of misinformation amid a growing measles outbreak across the United States, with Georgia falling short of herd immunity thresholds.
As of late last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 900 confirmed measles cases across 25 states, including three deaths. The disease, once largely eliminated in the U.S., is resurging due in part to declining vaccination rates.
Georgia’s measles vaccination rate lags behind the national average and below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity, making the state vulnerable to widespread transmission.
“Measles is essentially the most contagious infectious disease that we look at,” said Dr. Peter Kasson, a professor at Georgia Tech. “It’s maybe eight or nine times more contagious than COVID.”
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