The measles outbreak has only struck a remote corner of our region, in New Mexico. But federal data shows many states in the Mountain West may be more at risk.
Public health officials say 95% of a community needs to be vaccinated in order to be protected from measles. Nationwide, the average rate among kindergartners was an estimated 92.7% in the last school year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the Mountain West, the average rate was just under 90%.
Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona were all around that percentage, and Idaho was lowest at just under 80%. In our region, only New Mexico and Wyoming are above the national average.
Still, Casper, Wyoming, pediatrician Shelley Springer says in her practice, she’s seeing more families opt out of the measles vaccine.
“It's usually part of a whole lifestyle choice,” Springer said. “And those people tend to be in more rural areas.”
They also tend to be in conservative or religious areas, she added.
Springer said vaccinating is the best way to protect especially vulnerable children from the virus, which manifests as a high fever, body rash and white spots in the mouth.
Measles has infected more than 200 people in 12 states this year. The two people who died in the recent outbreak in New Mexico and Texas were unvaccinated.
Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
