Dr. Offit on Measles: ‘If You’re Surrounded by People Who Aren’t Vaccinated, No Vaccine Is 100% Effective’

EXCERPT:

OFFIT: “There was an outbreak in the Netherlands in the early 1990s, about 3,000 people. And the results may surprise you. You were obviously most likely to be protected if you were vaccinated, living in a highly vaccinated population. You were actually more likely to get measles if you were vaccinated, living in a highly unvaccinated population as compared to if you were unvaccinated, living in a highly vaccinated population. Herd immunity matters. Even though you're vaccinated, if you're surrounded by people who aren't vaccinated, no vaccine's 100 percent effective. So, you know, you're at risk. For the most part, if you've gotten two doses of measles vaccine, which were available since 1989, you're going to be protected for the rest of your life, but it's not 100% effective. It's 97 percent effective.”