The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 1,309 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. as of July 15 — the highest number of cases in three decades. The fearmongering corporate media have rushed to blame decreasing vaccine rates and “unvaccinated” populations. But largely missing from or downplayed in these outlets’ coverage are important data points and questions about what may be exacerbating the outbreaks.
The Associated Press reported concerns that the outbreak has been worsened by post-Covid “vaccine hesitancy” and lackluster funding for vaccination programs. CBS acted shocked that HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. — who, the outlet claimed, “has a history of making false and misleading claims about vaccines” — would recommend the measles vaccine. CNN likewise blamed “falling vaccination rates” and “increased travel.” An expert warned NPR that the U.S. may be close to losing its elimination status and blamed this on “vaccine hesitancy.”
The latest available CDC data shows a measles vaccine rate of about 92.7 percent for kindergartners in the 2023-2024 school year. This is down 2.5 percent from the 2019-2020 vaccination rate, a modest drop considering the fallout from the CDC pushing and the federal government seeking to mandate the experimental Covid vaccine in 2021. For comparison, the vaccination rate was between 61 and 66 percent for children between 1 and 4 years old from 1971 to 1985.
Furthermore, there are currently only 35 more measles cases than the total number recorded in 2019, according to the CDC. This is still about 800 fewer cases than recorded for the year of 1992 — the last time the number exceeded 1,300. It is also far lower than the 9,600 cases in 1991. Yet the corporate media continues to drive a narrative of fear based on the point that we are seeing “the most measles cases in more than 30 years.”
Hellbound and Down 