Fifth Measles Case Reported in Georgia

Georgia health officials have confirmed a secondary case of measles in an unvaccinated metro Atlanta resident. The person is a family member of someone else who contracted measles outside the country in May, demonstrating how the highly contagious virus spreads from one person to another through close contact.

This marks the fifth measles case in Georgia this year. In 2024, the state reported six cases total.

The Georgia Department of Public Health moved quickly to contain the outbreak. People who may have been exposed to either patient have received the MMR vaccine or antibodies to reduce their risk of developing the disease. Those contacts are now being monitored for symptoms.

So far, no additional cases have been reported outside this family cluster.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Vaccine Effectiveness

The confirmation comes as health experts stress the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 95% of people who receive a single dose of the MMR vaccine develop immunity to all three viruses. A second dose boosts that protection to 98%.

The CDC recommends children receive their first MMR dose between 12 and 15 months of age, with a second dose between 4 and 6 years old. This vaccination schedule proved so effective that measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000.

The Misinformation Crisis

One of the persistent challenges facing public health officials is vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation found through online searches. Health experts warn that “doing your own research” on Google is not equivalent to reviewing peer-reviewed scientific studies conducted by medical professionals.

The difference is critical and potentially life-saving. Legitimate medical research undergoes rigorous review by other experts before publication. These studies involve controlled conditions, large sample sizes, statistical analysis, and multiple rounds of scrutiny. Researchers must disclose their methods, funding sources, and potential conflicts of interest. If your eyes glazed over reading those words, it’s because most Americans don’t understand science.

Internet searches, however, often lead to information that lacks scientific backing. Search engines don’t distinguish between credible medical journals and websites promoting unsubstantiated theories. This creates a false equivalency that can lead people to make health decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information.

Real Research vs. Internet Searches

When scientists study vaccine safety and effectiveness, they follow strict protocols. They track thousands of participants over years, use control groups, and subject their findings to peer review. The measles vaccine has been studied this way for decades, with consistent results showing it’s both safe and highly effective.

Anti-vaccine websites often present isolated cases or debunked research as credible evidence, creating doubt about vaccines that have saved millions of lives. They cherry-pick data, misinterpret studies, or present outright fabrications as fact.

The Measles Threat Is Real

Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of nearby unvaccinated people will also become infected. The disease isn’t just a childhood inconvenience. Measles can cause serious complications, including brain damage, pneumonia, and death.

Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, measles killed hundreds of children annually in the United States and caused permanent disability in thousands more.