Massachusetts’ Strong Vaccine Coverage Shields the State from a Measles Surge, Yet Gaps Remain

While the rest of the country is grappling with a late‑summer spike in measles—693 cases reported in Pennsylvania alone, including four deaths—Massachusetts has managed to stay almost untouched, tallying just two confirmed infections.

State health officials aren’t calling it luck. Dr. Robbie Goldstein, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, says it’s the result of “years and decades of action by people here, by the Department of Public Health, talking about the benefits of vaccination.” He adds, almost as an after‑thought, that the benefit stretches far beyond the person who rolls up their sleeve.

That’s the essence of herd immunity: when enough folks are immune—either from a vaccine or a past infection—the pathogen finds it hard to hop from person to person. For measles, experts agree the magic number hovers around 95 % of school‑age children being protected.

Massachusetts law already requires any child entering a public school to have the measles‑mumps‑rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is about 97 % effective at preventing measles. Last year, nearly every kindergartner complied, pushing the state’s overall vaccination rate to 96.5 %—well above the national average of roughly 92.4 %.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve done here in Massachusetts,” Goldstein says, a hint of relief in his voice. He acknowledges that visitors carrying the virus could still arrive, but he’s hopeful that the “wall of immunity” we’ve built will keep any outbreak at bay.

Still, the data shows some cracks. Private schools aren’t bound by the same mandatory rules, and religious exemptions are on the rise in public schools. In the last school year, 1,068 kindergarteners claimed exemptions, up from 870 the year before.

“The trend is worrisome,” Goldstein admits. He points to particular pockets—Western Massachusetts and the Cape—where exemption rates are climbing noticeably.

Numbers from the past three years reveal a handful of schools slipping below the 95 % target. Among private institutions, St. Anthony School in Everett reported just 60 % coverage, First Baptist Christian School in Weymouth sat at 71 %, and the Waldorf School in Lexington recorded 75 %. Public schools aren’t immune either: Chilmark Elementary on Martha’s Vineyard sits at 86 %, and Orleans Elementary on Cape Cod at 89 %.

Those gaps matter. If a measles case were to land in any of those communities, it could spread fast—potentially infecting dozens before anyone realizes what’s happening.

Goldstein urges parents to do a little digging: “Know what the vaccination rates look like in your school district, in your neighborhood, in after‑school programs. Those numbers really matter and will help families protect their kids.”