Measles Is Back—and That’s Not an Accident

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By Eric Lullove, DPM

I am a podiatrist. My professional life is spent in the weeds of wound care and limb salvage—preventing the “slow-motion” tragedies of chronic disease. I don’t run a vaccine clinic, and I’m not a career immunologist. But I am a physician who understands how a system breaks.

In my previous articles on the ACA and the crumbling foundations of our healthcare delivery, I’ve argued that medicine is only as strong as its infrastructure. Right now, our public health infrastructure is experiencing a massive security breach. The recent spike of measles in the U.S. isn’t just a medical anomaly; it is a direct consequence of a leadership philosophy that has traded rote science for political theater.

The Data: A System in Red-Alert

We are currently witnessing the most aggressive resurgence of measles in modern American history. The numbers aren’t just “concerning”—they are an indictment of our current health security posture:

• The 2025/2026 Surge: In the last 14 months, we have surpassed 2,500 confirmed cases. To put that in perspective, we declared measles “eliminated” in this country in 2000. We are now moving backward at terminal velocity.

• The Herd Immunity Floor: Epidemiology tells us that to stop a measles outbreak, we need a 95% vaccination rate. We have officially dipped below 92% in several key states.

• The Contagion Factor: Measles has an (basic reproduction number) of 12 to 18. This is not a “flu-like” spread; this is a biological wildfire. One infected child in a classroom can effectively shut down an entire school district’s health safety within a week.

A Failure of Federal Guardianship

The Trump administration’s approach to healthcare security has been characterized by a dangerous “deconstruction” of the administrative state. By framing routine immunizations as a matter of “individual preference” rather than a pillar of national security, they have invited the virus back into our homes.

When federal agencies like the CDC are pressured to “narrow” vaccine recommendations or when the administration questions the validity of the ACIP’s rote science, they aren’t championing freedom—they are creating a vacuum. History and science tell us that viruses do not respect “freedom of choice.” They only respect the barrier of a vaccinated population.

The administration is failing America’s healthcare security by:

1. Sowing Institutional Distrust: Replacing rigorous clinical data with “alternative” medical perspectives.

2. Budgetary Atrophy: Defunding the surveillance programs that catch these outbreaks before they cross state lines.

3. Policy Regression: Encouraging the expansion of non-medical exemptions that leave our most vulnerable—infants and the immunocompromised—exposed.

The Prognosis: The High Cost of “Freedom”

The damage is not just clinical; it is fiscal. A single measles outbreak in a county can cost taxpayers millions in emergency response, lost workdays, and hospitalizations. When the “pro-business” party ignores the economic devastation of a preventable epidemic, the hypocrisy is as clear as the clinical symptoms.

The fix is not complicated, but it requires courage:

• Decouple Science from Politics: We must return the CDC to an independent, science-first footing where data, not polling, dictates the vaccine schedule.

• National Security Standards: We should view vaccination rates as a metric of national readiness. A state with a 90% vaccination rate is a hole in our national defense.

• Mandatory Transparency: We need a federal crackdown on misinformation that masquerades as “medical advice” in the public square.

As a doctor, I see the result of “waiting too long” every day in my wound care practice. You don’t wait for the infection to reach the bone before you act. America’s public health is currently “septic,” and until we return to the rote science of vaccine medicine, the prognosis for our healthcare security remains guarded.

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SEND THIS LETTER TO YOUR CONGRESSPERSON

[Date]

The Honorable [First Name] [Last Name]

United States [Senate/House of Representatives]

Washington, DC [Zip Code]

RE: Emergency Response to the 2026 Measles Outbreak

Dear [Senator/Representative] [Last Name],

As your constituent, I am writing to demand immediate legislative action to address the catastrophic 2026 measles resurgence. Our national healthcare security is failing, and the current administration’s retreat from rote science is to blame.

The facts are clear:

• The Crisis: We have seen over 580 cases in January 2026 alone, following a record-breaking 2,200 cases in 2025.

• The Vulnerability: National vaccination rates have dropped to 92.5%, well below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity.

• The Cost: Outbreaks are draining local budgets and filling pediatric ICUs with patients suffering from a entirely preventable disease.

We cannot allow “medical freedom” rhetoric to dismantle decades of public health security. I urge you to support the independence of the CDC, restore the integrity of the childhood immunization schedule, and fund emergency containment efforts in high-outbreak states.

Please prioritize the biological security of our children over political theater. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your City, State]