Bulwark Takes Measles Is Back and the Government Doesn’t Care
Feb 2, 2026
Jonathan Cohn, health policy writer and newsletter author, explains the alarming return of measles and the collapse of herd immunity. He walks through why falling MMR rates and political messaging have enabled outbreaks. They discuss gaps in government response, partisan vaccine skepticism, and moves to roll back mandates.
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Measles Has Returned Because Vaccination Fell
- Measles has re-emerged in the U.S. due to falling vaccination and is spreading beyond isolated importations.
- Jonathan Cohn warns outbreaks now expand because herd immunity has eroded in many communities.
States Lead Response; Federal Messaging Lags
- State public health departments remain the front line and rely on CDC technical support.
- Cohn says career CDC staff still provide help, but top-level federal messaging is weak or absent.
Officials Downplay Loss Of Elimination Status
- Top federal officials have downplayed the risk, framing lost elimination status as a cost of global travel.
- Cohn calls that framing false and attributes outbreaks to falling vaccination and administrative skepticism.