CDC Official Downplays Loss of Measles Elimination Status
With measles transmission in the United States at levels not seen in decades, Ralph Abraham, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated he wouldn’t consider the loss of the country’s measles elimination status a major setback.
Acknowledging Ongoing Transmission
“Not really,” Abraham, a physician and former Louisiana surgeon general, said. “It’s just the cost of doing business, with our borders being somewhat porous and global and international travel.” He clarified that imported cases of measles are expected given the virus’s global circulation.
A country doesn’t lose its measles elimination status simply by experiencing imported cases. Elimination status is lost when a country can’t contain ongoing transmission after an introduction, and the virus circulates for a year or more.
Personal Freedom and Vaccination Decisions
Abraham, who recently began his role at the CDC, emphasized the agency’s support for states in managing outbreaks. However, he acknowledged that some transmission occurs within communities where parents have opted not to vaccinate their children, framing this as a matter of “personal freedom.”
He connected this perspective to broader discussions around freedom, stating, “The president, the [health] secretary, we talk all the time about religious freedom, health freedom, personal freedom, and I think we have to respect those communities.”
Key Takeaways
- Measles transmission in the U.S. is at a decades-high point.
- The CDC acknowledges ongoing transmission is likely due to international travel and porous borders.
- The CDC official expressed a view that respecting personal freedom includes parental choices regarding vaccination.
- Loss of measles elimination status is defined by sustained transmission for over a year, not simply imported cases.
Publication Date: 2026/01/28 08:46:14
