(LEX 18) — Measles, a highly contagious respiratory illness spread through coughing and sneezing, is making headlines as cases rise in Kentucky.
The Cleveland Clinic says unvaccinated children are at the highest risk for complications, which is why health professionals recommend the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.
As of now, four new measles cases have been reported in Fayette County by the health department, raising Kentucky's total to 11 confirmed cases this year.
"With things like this, there is a lot of information—and a lot of misinformation—going around, which can create a lot of fear and hesitancy," says Melinda Barkley, communications and marketing director for the Jessamine County Health Department.
Barkley said that exposure has occurred in Jessamine County due to recent cases in neighboring areas, including a positive case identified weeks ago at a Nicholasville water park.
"We were notified that a positive case had been at one of our local pools, so we communicated with our local parks and rec to get that information out to anybody in the community that may have been at the pool," she said.
In response to the outbreak, all public and private kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools in Kentucky are required to submit immunization information that helps determine which students are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
For more detailed information, parents can visit healthtracking.ky.gov, which provides insights into school immunization data.
A recent survey indicates that kindergarten immunization rates in Jessamine County, along with nearby Garrard County, fall just below 80%, categorizing them as "most vulnerable" in terms of exposure.
Fayette and Madison counties have rates over 90%, classified as "moderately vulnerable."
According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, during the 2024-2025 school year, 86.9% of the state's kindergartners received the MMR vaccine—approximately 6% lower than the national average.
Barkley says the vaccination significantly reduces the severity of the illness and encourages parents to schedule vaccination appointments to ensure their children are protected as the school year approaches.
"You want to do what's best for your child and we know from years of having this measles vaccine that the best prevention is vaccination," Barkley said.
For those unsure about their vaccination status, the Kentucky Immunization Registry is available to help individuals verify their vaccine records.
