‘Viruses don’t know borders’: US anti-vaccine rhetoric could impact global measles crisis
The Guardian World
by Hannah Harris GreenFebruary 28, 2026
Experts say global measles vaccination rates are falling as Trump officials signal a deprioritization of the virus
The US government has amplified anti-vaccine rhetoric and signaled that it does not consider measles to be a priority, which could have global ramifications as countries around the world have lost or are on the brink of losing measles elimination status.
The World Health Organization announced in late January that six European countries: the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan had all officially lost their measles elimination status, which means the virus has been circulating continuously in those countries for more than 12 months. In order to contain measles, at least 95% of children should be fully vaccinated against it, according to health recommendations, but vaccination rates have been falling across Europe.
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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/28/2026