Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy
Pittsburgh helped pioneer the polio vaccine. Now, as measles cases rise across Pennsylvania, an epidemiologist explains the disease and the vaccine that prevents it.
In 2026, Pittsburgh's kindergarten measles vaccination rate plummeted to 91.8%, falling below the critical 95% threshold necessary to halt the spread of the disease. This alarming statistic comes amid a measles outbreak that has seen 693 confirmed cases across Pennsylvania's 38 counties, resulting in 133 hospitalizations and three deaths among unvaccinated residents.
The current outbreak, which began in August 2026, marks a stark contrast to 2025, when only 16 cases were recorded statewide. The city of Pittsburgh itself, home to the University of Pittsburgh where Dr. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine, now grapples with a measles epidemic that has affected a majority of its 67 counties.
The MMR vaccine, which provides protection against measles, mumps, and rubella, is available at no cost through most private insurance plans and Pennsylvania's state health centers. Public health officials recommend children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine by the age of 6.
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