Amid Concerns About Vaccine Adherence, Rubella Declared Eliminated

Effective vaccination programs mean German measles are no longer considered a threat in the Americas.

An outbreak of measles this winter that originated at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, sparked a backlash among Americans incredulous that pockets of children and adults were not being vaccinated. Government health officials reminded the public that repeated research had shown the vaccine against the virus was safe and effective. Until 2014, measles had been declared eradicated for more than a decade thanks to vaccine policies that mandated children get their shots.

Further proof of the effectiveness of vaccines came to light Wednesday, when the World Health Organization announced that another illness has been eradicated that also is prevented by the vaccine that shields from measles: Rubella, sometimes called German measles, has been declared eliminated in North and South America – encompassing 45 countries and territories.

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