A measles outbreak in Pennsylvania’s Amish and Mennonite communities, with Lancaster County at the center, underscores varying vaccine acceptance within Plain populations and broader public health concerns.

Experts say trust-building over coercion is essential to raise vaccination uptake, noting it can take decades to shift attitudes in these communities.

Vaccination rates among Plain communities are generally lower than the broader population, influenced more by culture and habit than doctrine, though attitudes are increasingly diverse and evolving.

The Epi-Aid support strengthens the state’s outbreak response and contact tracing efforts.

Governor Shapiro’s executive order spurred a workgroup, with later proposals for a statewide vaccine database and strict input requirements for administered vaccines; public backlash led to withdrawal but the proposals are expected to be resubmitted.

The workgroup prioritizes unified vaccine messaging, safety communications, countering misinformation, and building trust, identifying faith leaders as influential in vaccination decisions based on past COVID-19 responses.

One message framing the issue is that getting the shot is an act of love for the community, protecting individuals and those around them.

Public health messaging promotes vaccination as an act of care to reduce transmission and protect the community.

Healthcare professionals and community leaders stress vaccines as protection for individuals and the wider community, advocating trusted, non-coercive strategies emphasizing safety and communal benefit.

Voices from medical professionals, local health administrators, and researchers call for continued vaccination as communal protection, noting past successes in increasing uptake during earlier outbreaks.

Public officials and providers point to ongoing vaccination as a communal protection measure, citing earlier outbreak responses that boosted uptake.

The workgroup highlighted Hepatitis B birth-dose uptake as particularly challenging and noted the CDC/ACIP debate on birth-dose decisions for infants of mothers who test negative.