BALTIMORE, Md. — Doctors at the University of Maryland School of Medicine are tracking a nationwide rise in measles cases and how it will impact overall health and the economy.
UMD Study: Declining measles vaccinations could cost the U.S. economy $7 billion by 2030
Dr. Meagan Fitzpatrick, an associate professor at the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the UMD School of Medicine, has been tracking a decrease in measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations that started around 2020.
As measles cases rise globally, Dr. Fitzpatrick and her colleagues started researching what could happen if this trend continues.
"We expect that we can see $1.5 billion annually in costs related to measles outbreaks, if this trend continues, if we see a 1% decline in measles coverage in children over the next 5 years," Fitzpatrick said.
In 2025, outbreaks cost the U.S. $244 million. Fitzpatrick predicts that over five years, outbreaks could cost the country more than $7 billion.
"That's lost money in your pocket; these economic consequences really add up," Fitzpatrick said. "That's money that could affect your family if you have to go into quarantine, if your children have to go into quarantine."
Maryland saw no cases from 2020 to 2022, one case in 2023, one in 2024, and three in 2025.
Last week, the Maryland Department of Health announced the state's first confirmed case this year. An individual in the Baltimore area who traveled internationally may have exposed people at BWI Airport, an urgent care clinic, and Sinai Hospital.
"One of the questions we get asked a lot is how soon will we know if this turns into an outbreak, and the answer is it could be a couple of weeks before this turns into an outbreak," Fitzpatrick said.
She hopes this research leads to investment at the state and local level to make sure every child has access to vaccines and that parents' concerns are addressed.
"One of the very encouraging things about the state of Maryland is that overall, our vaccination coverage is very high. If you are at all considering whether you should get that vaccine, the answer is yes, and the time is now," Fitzpatrick said.
Marylanders can check their immunization status online and learn more about free vaccines here.
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