Oklahoma Health Leader Warns of Rising Disease Risk Amid CDC Turmoil & Declining Vaccination Rates
OKLAHOMA CITY – an Oklahoma public health expert is sounding the alarm about a potential increase in preventable diseases, including measles, as uncertainty surrounds recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and vaccination rates continue to decline nationwide and within the state. dr. Dale Bratzler, dean of the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, testified before a recent Senate hearing regarding the impact of internal changes at the CDC on public health initiatives.
Bratzler explained that the CDC director now must personally endorse all recommendations before they become official, a process that has contributed to a climate of uncertainty. This has prompted medical groups,including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians,to begin developing their own vaccination schedules – creating “competing recommendations,” according to Bratzler.
“That could limit the ability for some people to get vaccines,” he warned, noting that many states, like Oklahoma, rely on CDC guidance for vaccination schedules and some insurance providers only cover CDC-recommended vaccines.
Data reveals a concerning trend in Oklahoma. As of September 9,2025,the state has reported 17 confirmed measles cases as part of a national outbreak totaling 1,454 cases – the highest number in 30 years. Nationwide, 12% of measles cases have required hospitalization, with three confirmed deaths. The largest percentage (38%) of those infected with measles are between the ages of 5 and 19.
vaccination coverage among kindergartners in the U.S. decreased across all reported vaccines during the 2024-25 school year, ranging from 92.1% for DTaP to 92.5% for MMR and polio. Approximately 286,000 kindergartners attended school without documented completion of the MMR vaccine series.
Oklahoma’s MMR vaccination rate for school-aged children currently stands at 88.7%, placing it among the 14 states below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity against measles. Polio vaccination rates are also dropping, currently at 90%.
“Populations don’t remember what it was like when kids used to get thes diseases,” Bratzler said, suggesting a lack of lived experience with these illnesses may contribute to declining vaccination rates.
Bratzler anticipates an increase in cases of measles, whooping cough, and hepatitis B in children next year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
