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Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Prompts New Vaccine Interest in Amish Country

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Pennsylvania has recorded more than 1,350 measles cases in 2026, with Lancaster County at the center of the country’s largest outbreak in decades, the Associated Press reported Oct. 30. The state’s case count is more than a third of the national total reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Oct. 29.

The AP’s reporting describes new openness to vaccination among some people in Lancaster County’s Amish and conservative Mennonite communities after the outbreak affected families. Vaccination attitudes vary across Plain communities, and AP said low rates have reflected culture and habit more than a single religious position.

Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, meaning there was no ongoing domestic transmission at that time. The virus still circulates in other countries and can spread quickly when it is introduced into communities with lower vaccination coverage.

The CDC counted 4,852 confirmed U.S. cases as of Oct. 29. It also reported that kindergarten MMR coverage fell from 95.2% in the 2019–20 school year to 92.4% in 2025–26, below the 95% level associated with community protection.

Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles, according to CDC. The agency says measles spreads through the air and can infect people who enter a room where an infected person has been.

Pennsylvania has recorded five measles-associated deaths: three in Lancaster County and two in other counties. State and CDC counts can differ because they update on different schedules and may classify or confirm cases at different times.

People in Plain communities interact with the broader public at markets, medical offices and other settings, AP noted. That means vaccination decisions and outbreak control can affect neighbors beyond the immediate community.

Public health officials advise people to check their vaccination records and contact a health care provider if they are unsure about protection, especially before travel or exposure to an outbreak. CDC says local coverage can vary considerably even in places with high overall vaccination rates.

Sources: The Associated Press: Takeaways from reporting on measles in Amish country | CDC: Measles cases and outbreaks

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