As students head back to school, parents of immunocompromised kids face a new and terrifying reality: the resurgence of measles. Cases of the highly transmissible disease have reached a 35-year high in the US, with nearly 3,000 confirmed infections in 2026 so far. The first two measles-related deaths of the year were recorded in Pennsylvania, right as the school year begins.
With vaccination rates dropping across the country, parents of kids who aren't able to get vaccinated or don't mount a strong enough immune response due to weakened immune systems are weighing whether it's safe enough to go to school.
Victoria Schiano's 10-year-old son has mitochondrial disease. The family lives in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which has the second-highest number of measles cases in the state. Schiano has been closely monitoring the vaccination rates in her son's school district, which have dipped below the 95 percent threshold needed for community protection against measles.
"Measles is dangerous for anyone, but for him, this absolutely could be life or death," she says. Her son already wears a mask and uses a plexiglass screen at school. The family has had to limit his time with friends and after-school activities like karate.
The virus can cause severe, life-threatening complications including pneumonia and brain swelling. Measles can also cause "immune amnesia" — wiping out the body's memory of past infections, leaving people susceptible to other diseases.
A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 2.6 percent of US children are immunocompromised. While some parents are keeping their children home for online schooling, remote learning was associated with increased social isolation and mental health issues during the pandemic.
"Some people don't want to take ownership of the responsibility of public health," says Amalia, a South Carolina parent who chose online school for her immunocompromised son. "I think it's something we're supposed to share across humanity. It's not supposed to be carried by one person."
