Fewer kids are getting immunized against measles in Arizona

Apr 25

April 25, 2022

By: Brahm Resnik

PHOENIX — A growing number of Arizona parents have opted out of getting measles shots for their kindergartners during the pandemic, according to new data compiled by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Public health experts say that the alarming trend, which escalated over the last three years, is putting more schools at risk of an outbreak of the dangerous childhood disease.

"We don't want to experiment by seeing how fast disease can spread," said Jennifer Tinney, program director for The Arizona Partnership for Immunization, which promotes vaccinations against disease.

"We don't want to see how fast that can happen."

Here's the "experiment" that Tinney and other public health experts are concerned about: What happens when large enough numbers of children have not been immunized to protect them from measles?

Greta Luf

Fewer kids are getting immunized against measles in Arizona

Measles cases highlight Arizona’s declining vaccination rates