Local News
Measles surge highlights Utah’s lack of herd immunity
Megan Wallgren | Lehi Free Press
Vaccination rates across Utah, including in Utah County, have fallen below levels needed to maintain herd immunity as the state continues to track a measles outbreak during the 2025–2026 school year.
According to the Utah Measles Dashboard on utah.gov, there have been a recorded 210 measles cases statewide since last June. Of those cases, 187 were in unvaccinated individuals, and the majority involved children under the age of 18. Twenty people have been hospitalized, a number that reflects only admitted patients and does not include emergency room visits that did not end in a hospital stay.
As of Jan. 19, Utah County has reported 26 measles cases, the highest number among counties along the Wasatch Front. The number is cumulative throughout the outbreak and not a snapshot of active infections.
Local health officials warn that increasing exemption rates, particularly in schools, are putting medically vulnerable residents at greater risk. As vaccination rates decline, the likelihood of outbreaks increases, especially in school settings.
Aislynn Tolman-Hill, a spokesperson for the Utah County Health Department, said, “Herd immunity basically means that we want enough people to be vaccinated so that a virus can’t spread easily. When there are enough people vaccinated, it protects everyone, including those medically vulnerable who cannot be vaccinated, for instance, infants under the age of 1. The fewer people we have vaccinated, the closer we are to losing that herd immunity and protecting those people.”
Data provided by Alpine School District put the district’s vaccination exemption rates in Lehi and American Fork at around 9%. Herd immunity is considered jeopardized when exemption rates exceed 5%.
National data highlights Utah’s vulnerability. A Dec. 31 Washington Post article reported that no county in Utah has achieved herd immunity among kindergarten students. Utah County’s vaccination rate was reported at 89%, meaning an 11% exemption rate.
Health officials rely heavily on school vaccination data to assess community risk. “Unfortunately, what we are seeing this year is more and more exemptions,” Tolman-Hill said. “We are getting closer and closer to losing that herd immunity.”
Under current Utah law, parents seeking a vaccine exemption for their child must complete an online module at immunize.gov. The 15-minute course explains vaccine-preventable diseases, how immunizations work, and what happens if a non-immunized student is exposed during an outbreak. After completing the module, parents provide a certificate to their school nurse. There is no fee for the exemption.
That process may soon change. During the 2026 legislative session, Rep. Trevor Lee is sponsoring HB 152, Educational Vaccine Exemptions. If passed, the bill would require all vaccine exemptions to be obtained through local health departments, with in-person counseling from nurses or physicians, and would include a $25 fee. The online exemption option would be eliminated.
Tolman-Hill encouraged families to consult trusted health care providers if they have concerns or questions about vaccines. Vaccinations are available through local health departments, physicians and many pharmacies. Assistance programs exist for those without insurance.
“Vaccines are safe and an effective way to protect yourself, your family and your community,” Tolman-Hill added. “We’re here to help.”
Health officials are currently in a waiting period to see whether additional cases will be reported, but Tolman-Hill expects the numbers to rise. “As long as vaccination rates remain below herd immunity thresholds, there will be some risk,” she said.
For more information about vaccinations and herd immunity, talk to your physician or visit health.utahcounty.gov.
