The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will not alter its approach to the nation's measles outbreaks even if the United States loses its measles elimination status this month, CDC Director Erica Schwartz said in an interview with Reuters.
"Let's say we did lose our measles elimination status. We're going to be doing the same exact thing that we've been doing today, which is working with the states," Schwartz said.
Her comments come as U.S. and Mexican health officials meet with the Pan American Health Organization this week for a three-day closed-door session to assess each country's measles elimination status. The U.S. has now recorded a full year of continuous measles transmission—one of the key criteria for losing elimination status.
As of Nov. 5, the CDC has confirmed more than 5,100 measles cases this year, with roughly 96 percent linked to outbreaks. The agency has also reported 43 new outbreaks in 2025. Combined with over 2,200 cases from 2025, the total since then is approaching 7,500. Eight measles-related deaths have been reported across three states this year, though the CDC currently recognizes only four.
Schwartz emphasized that the agency will continue to support state efforts to raise awareness about measles and stress that the MMR vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the disease. "We are leaning in to help them provide awareness about measles, emphasizing, reemphasizing that the number one way to prevent measles is the MMR vaccine," she said.
According to CDC data, 96 percent of reported cases this year were among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.
The outbreak has drawn political attention. Last month, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, criticized the Trump administration for not promoting vaccinations aggressively enough, calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC to intensify their efforts. Kennedy, who has previously questioned the safety of the MMR vaccine, later endorsed it, saying, "A measles vaccine is effective. It stops measles in about 97 percent of the cases. So people should get vaccinated."
Schwartz pointed to "closely knit communities" as a primary driver of the outbreaks. "These communities typically don't vaccinate their children… their families were making decisions about the MMR vaccine 20 to 30 years ago and we're just now seeing the results of those decisions," she said. "The real focus is why are we not leaning in on these close-knit communities to make sure that they understand that the number one way of preventing measles is the MMR vaccine."
The CDC's response comes amid broader debates over public health policy, including energy costs tied to data centers and AI infrastructure permitting, but the measles outbreak remains a pressing health security issue. As the PAHO meeting unfolds, the U.S. faces the prospect of losing a status it has held since 2000, a development that could have significant implications for international travel and public health credibility.
