The interactive tool, created by the ABC News data team, uses info from a groundbreaking collaboration between researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. Their findings were published Thursday, Jan. 15, in the journal Nature Health.
The map allows users to type in their ZIP code to see an estimated percentage of vaccinated residents in their area and assess their community’s risk of a measles outbreak.
Measles, a highly contagious disease, can spread quickly in communities with low vaccination rates. According to the CDC, there have been 241 confirmed measles cases across the US so far this year. States seeing the most cases include California, Texas, and Ohio.
The map combines vaccination data from medical records, public health reports, and surveys to estimate measles immunity levels for specific areas. Researchers hope the tool will help identify regions vulnerable to outbreaks and aid health officials in targeting vaccination campaigns.
Measles cases in the US have been rising in recent years, largely due to declining vaccination rates in some communities. The CDC says the disease is so contagious that up to 90 percent of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus will become infected.
In 2019, a record 1,282 cases were reported in the US, the highest in nearly 30 years. While case numbers fell during the pandemic, experts warn they could climb again as vaccination rates remain below the necessary threshold to prevent outbreaks.
You can explore the map and check your ZIP code here: Interactive Measles Risk Map.
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