TL;DR
Get workout gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Pennsylvania has reported more than 1,350 measles cases in 2026, with over a third in Lancaster County, according to state figures. Clinics serving Amish and Mennonite communities say some residents are becoming more open to vaccination, though attitudes remain mixed and the reported case total may be an undercount.
Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has prompted some Amish and Mennonite residents in Lancaster County to seek vaccination, according to health workers and residents quoted in a MedPage Today report. The state has recorded more than 1,350 cases this year, with over a third in Lancaster County, making the outbreak a concern for Plain communities and their neighbors.
Union Community Care, a nonprofit with clinics in Lancaster and nearby towns, has held small vaccine clinics and run a mobile outreach program called Plain Healthy for Amish and Mennonite residents. Chief medical officer Dr. Anne-Marie Derrico said the clinics have provided about 450 measles vaccinations. The organization is also offering some infants an earlier measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine dose than the usual schedule, in line with health advice for outbreak areas.
Vaccination attitudes vary within Plain communities. One resident said he got vaccinated because he thought measles would leave him unable to work during harvest. Others remain opposed. One Amish farmer, Ephraim Zook, said he still opposed vaccines after he and his wife cared for their young twins during measles. A Mennonite market vendor said his largely vaccinated community had not experienced infections.
State figures put Pennsylvania’s total above 1,350 measles cases in 2026, including three measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County and two in other counties. Community leaders told MedPage Today the official tally may undercount infections because some people with measles do not seek medical care. The report did not provide a revised estimate.
Why Local Vaccination Matters
Measles spreads readily, and health workers described connections between Plain communities and the wider population in Lancaster County. Residents shop and do business with neighbors, and children may share schools or programs. Dr. Derrico said patients from Plain communities visit the city, while unvaccinated city residents also take part in settings with other children.
The outbreak also brings renewed attention to vaccination as cases rise in a population where coverage has historically been low, while vaccination rates have also fallen in the wider public. Most measles cases are mild, but the disease can cause serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, and can be fatal. Health workers’ outreach and the reported increase in willingness to get vaccinated could help limit spread, but the report does not establish how much the clinics have changed transmission or community-wide vaccination rates.
Products Worth Considering
Garmin Forerunner 55 GPS Running Smartwatch, Black
Fitbit Sense 2 Advanced Health and Fitness Smartwatch, Blue Mist/Pale Gold
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9500 Smart Electric Toothbrush with 2 Brush Heads, Black
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Trust Shapes Vaccine Decisions
The outbreak has particularly affected Plain communities, a term commonly used for Amish and conservative Mennonite groups whose traditions include modest dress and limits on technology. Community leaders and scholars told MedPage Today that lower vaccination rates are often linked to culture and habit rather than a religious prohibition. Allen Hoover, an Old Order Mennonite and former medical-center administrator, said many people’s reasoning had been that they had not vaccinated before and had been well.
Trust has shifted over time, according to people interviewed for the report. Some said vaccine confidence cooled in reaction to strict COVID-19 public health measures; the measles outbreak is now leading some residents to reconsider while reinforcing skepticism in others. Hoover said health workers are more effective when they encourage vaccination without applying heavy pressure, adding that building trust can take years. Separately, a group of Amish schools and individuals in New York is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to require religious exemptions to school vaccine rules. That legal case is distinct from the Pennsylvania outbreak and does not establish a shared position among Amish communities.
“There’s no way to imagine that this is going to be an isolated community.”
— Dr. Anne-Marie Derrico, chief medical officer at Union Community Care
Case Totals and Uptake Remain Unclear
The state’s reported case count may not capture the full outbreak, but no alternative total is provided. It is also unclear how much vaccination coverage has changed across Lancaster County or how many of the approximately 450 doses given through Union Community Care were administered specifically to Amish or Mennonite patients. The report describes individual decisions and clinic activity, not a measured countywide change in vaccine acceptance.
Pennsylvania’s cases had fallen from a September peak by the time of the report, but doctors quoted by MedPage Today expected infections could rise as colder weather brings more indoor gatherings. The scale and timing of any renewed rise remain uncertain. Vaccine views also remain divided.
Clinics Prepare for Winter Risks
Union Community Care has held outreach activities for Plain communities and offered vaccination clinics, including earlier MMR doses for infants in the outbreak area. Some doctors quoted in the report expected infections could rise as winter brings more indoor gatherings. The report did not identify a specific next state update or a date for ending the outbreak response.
The developments described in the report include new case reports and clinic activity, while community leaders say the official count may be an undercount. The article does not give individual medical advice.
Key Questions
How many measles cases has Pennsylvania reported?
State figures cited by MedPage Today show more than 1,350 cases in 2026, with over a third in Lancaster County. Community leaders said the total may be an undercount because some people with measles do not see a doctor.
Are Amish and Mennonite residents becoming more open to vaccines?
Some are, according to health workers and residents interviewed for the report. Views remain mixed: some have sought vaccination, while others continue to oppose it. The report provides no countywide measure of changing attitudes or vaccination rates.
How many measles shots has Union Community Care provided?
The nonprofit said its small-scale clinics have resulted in about 450 measles vaccinations. The report does not specify how many recipients were Amish or Mennonite or provide a broader estimate of doses administered in the county.
Could cases rise again in winter?
Some doctors expected cases could rise as colder weather brings more indoor gatherings, though Pennsylvania’s reported rates had declined from their September peak. Whether cases will increase, and by how much, remains unclear.
Source: medpagetoday.com
