UAFP in Action: Addressing Utah’s Measles Outbreak Ahead of the School Year
As Utah’s measles outbreak enters its second year, UAFP took an active role this week in shaping the public conversation, convening a press event with state and local public health leaders to reinforce a message we know matters to every one of you in practice: asking patients to trust their family physician more than any headline, feed, or algorithm.
Why UAFP Got Involved
Utah currently has the second-highest number of measles cases of any state in the country. That statistic isn’t abstract for most of you, many family physicians are already fielding vaccine-hesitant questions in exam rooms daily, often amplified by this year’s national policy debates around vaccine schedules.
UAFP organized this week’s event because family physicians are uniquely positioned in this moment: we’re not just treating the clinical consequences of under-vaccination, we’re also one of the most trusted voice parents have when the information environment gets loud and confusing.
Who Joined Us
UAFP convened a cross-section of state and local expertise, reflecting the coordinated response this outbreak requires:
- Jordan R. Roberts, MD — UAFP member, family physician, and recent appointee to the AAFP Vaccine Science Fellowship
- Leisha Nolen, MD, PhD — Utah State Epidemiologist, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
- T.W. Jones, MD, MMC, FAAP, MEd — Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist
- Lee Cherie Booth, RN — Immunization Nurse Supervisor, Salt Lake County Health Department
Having epidemiology, county public health, pediatric ID, and family medicine represented in the same room underscored a point we want every member to be able to make in their own practice: this isn’t a partisan issue or a matter of opinion, it’s a coordinated clinical and public health response.
The Clinical Case
Here’s the core data we communicated to the media:
- One in three Utahns diagnosed with measles has required emergency room care; one in 12 has required hospitalization.
- The outbreak has persisted because vaccination rates in several Utah communities remain below the threshold needed for herd immunity.
- Measles is very unlikely to be the last vaccine-preventable disease we see resurface. Mumps, chickenpox, and Hib all carry similar risk profiles in under-vaccinated populations, and pertussis cases have already been climbing statewide and nationally over the past year.
- Two-dose MMR series remains roughly 97% effective, with a decades-long safety record and a number worth having ready for patients who ask.
Dr. Roberts spoke directly to the role you all play every day:
“Your child’s doctor knows your family’s health history and relies on rigorous, proven science to guide every recommendation. Before the school bell rings this fall, we encourage every parent to reach out to their family physician to make sure they are fully protected against preventable diseases like measles.”
Dr. Jones added a clinical reminder worth repeating to patients who assume measles is a mild illness:
“Even the best case of measles is an awful illness to deal with. And when it goes wrong, it goes really wrong. We can keep our kids and communities safe from this disease, we just have to be willing to work together for the greater good.”
The Bigger Picture
This event is one piece of a larger advocacy effort UAFP is sustaining through the back-to-school season and beyond. As national conversation around vaccine policy continues to evolve, UAFP will keep showing up, in front of media, in coordination with state and county public health, and alongside members like Dr. Roberts who are willing to put a physician’s voice into public discourse.
If you’re interested in getting more involved in UAFP’s public health advocacy work, or want to be considered as a spokesperson for future events, let us know.
Thank You to Our Partners
None of this happens without collaboration. UAFP extends its sincere thanks to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the Salt Lake County Health Department, our speakers, and the many other public health partners who joined us for this event and continue to work alongside our members every day. We look forward to continuing this partnership to eradicate preventable illnesses and improve the health of our community.
Additional Materials and Media Coverage
UAFP Media Leave-Behind Information Sheet
Dr. Jordan Robert’s Desert News Op-ed
Fox 13 News Story
ABC News 4 Utah Story