Measles Outbreak Leaves Unvaccinated Babies 'Sitting Ducks'

Pediatricians warn that dropping vaccination rates are putting infants at risk during South Carolina's worst measles outbreak in decades.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 11:36pm

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A minimalist design in the style of Keith Haring where the outline of a baby bottle or pacifier is defined entirely by vibrant neon lines against a dark background, emphasizing the fragility of unvaccinated infants during a measles outbreak.The measles outbreak in South Carolina has left unvaccinated infants especially vulnerable, with doctors warning that dropping vaccination rates are putting the youngest members of the community at serious risk.Landrum Today

With a measles outbreak surging in South Carolina, babies too young to be vaccinated are among the most vulnerable. Doctors say the burden is on the community to protect these infants, but dropping vaccination rates have eroded herd immunity. Some policymakers are pushing legislation that could further reduce vaccination, alarming pediatricians who fear a return to the days when vaccine-preventable diseases threatened young lives.

Why it matters

Babies depend entirely on herd immunity, but South Carolina's outbreak has shown that vaccination rates have dropped below the 95% threshold needed to prevent measles from spreading. This puts infants at serious risk of developing life-threatening complications from the highly contagious virus. Doctors warn that legislation aimed at reducing vaccine requirements could make the situation even worse, undoing decades of progress in public health.

The details

In the epicenter of South Carolina's measles outbreak, less than 90% of students have received required vaccines, leaving many infants unprotected. Pediatricians began offering the MMR vaccine to babies as young as 6 months old, earlier than the usual 12-15 months, in an effort to shield them. However, state officials have not disclosed how many infants contracted measles or were hospitalized, making it difficult to gauge the full impact on the youngest patients.

  • In the first three months of 2026, the U.S. logged 1,671 measles cases, 73% of the total from 2025.
  • In November, international health officials will determine whether measles is still considered eliminated in the U.S.

The players

John Otwell

A parent who was concerned about the measles outbreak while taking his infant son to a Costco store that had been identified as a site of public exposure.

Dr. Deborah Greenhouse

A Columbia pediatrician who warned that unvaccinated babies become "sitting ducks" during measles outbreaks.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The federal Health Secretary who is a longtime anti-vaccine crusader and has sought to remake vaccine policy, overseeing billions in public health cuts.

Dr. Jessica Early

A pediatrician who began offering the approved infant MMR dose as early as 6 months old and gave the second MMR dose early in response to the outbreak.

Thomas Compton

The regional director of Miss Tammy's Little Learning Center, a child care network that saw 18 parents pull their children out due to the measles outbreak, even though there were no confirmed cases.

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What they’re saying

“Babies become sitting ducks. The burden is on all of us to protect all of us.”

— Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, Pediatrician

“In other words, it would get rid of those requirements in the day cares. And for people like me, that is a gut punch that is terrifying.”

— Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, Pediatrician

“The whole concept of immunization is one of the best things that has ever happened to medicine. To see that we are actually going backwards is just confounding.”

— Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, Pediatrician

“I would never forgive myself if I knew that my son had gotten another baby very sick and it was something I could have prevented.”

— Helen Kaiser

What’s next

In November, international health officials will determine whether measles is still considered eliminated in the U.S.

The takeaway

This measles outbreak highlights the critical importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to protect the most vulnerable, including infants too young to be vaccinated. Efforts to roll back vaccine requirements could have devastating consequences, undoing decades of progress in public health and leaving babies at risk of serious, potentially deadly complications from preventable diseases.