Measles Surge Puts Amish Outreach to the Test in Pennsylvania

WHO:

Inquirer.com - Pennsylvania Department of Health pediatrician Jennifer Wallace is medical director of the state’s health centers and runs pop-up measles vaccination clinics.

Inquirer.com - Beth Smith, a nurse who has worked for the state health department for 27 years, administered shots at a clinic in Peach Bottom.

Inquirer.com - Art Winter, 48, runs an auto-repair business behind the Robert Fulton Fire Company; he said, “Never been vaccinated in my life.”

Inquirer.com - Angela Conrad, 57, lives near the fire station and said she had been vaccinated as a child.

NPR - Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen held a roundtable with Mifflin County healthcare providers.

Inquirer.com - Amish families and communities are among those reached by Pennsylvania’s vaccine outreach; health officials consulted Amish elders and religious leaders.

WHAT:

Inquirer.com - Pennsylvania had reported more than 1,300 measles cases; Lancaster County reported nearly 470, nearly 40% of the state total.

NPR - Pennsylvania had confirmed at least 1,338 cases across 44 counties, with 21 new cases reported as of Oct. 21. More than 250 people had been hospitalized and five had died; three of the deaths were in Lancaster County.

NPR - CDC data showed more than 4,580 U.S. measles cases since Oct. 22, more than double the total for all of 2025. Of people who contracted measles in 2026, 96% were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.

Inquirer.com - Pennsylvania organized 223 pop-up clinics statewide, including 51 in Lancaster County, and vaccinated more than 6,000 people through them.

Inquirer.com - At a clinic in Peach Bottom, 79 of 94 attendees chose vaccination. At an early clinic in Lebanon County, 30 attended and 26 received shots.

Inquirer.com - At one Lancaster County home, 110 people lined up for vaccination; Wallace said staff returned twice to get more vaccine.

NPR - Pennsylvania administered more than 39,000 measles vaccines during the first three weeks of October, above the state’s average of 25,000 per month.

NPR - Two MMR doses are nearly 97% effective against measles; one dose is about 93% effective, according to the CDC.

WHERE:

Inquirer.com - A pop-up clinic operated at the Robert Fulton Fire Company in Peach Bottom, Lancaster County; clinics were also held in fire halls, garages, barns, and homes.

NPR - Measles cases were reported across Pennsylvania, with Amish communities in Lancaster and Mifflin counties particularly affected.

NPR - New York reported more than 160 confirmed cases; Utah reported more than 700; South Carolina reported at least 997 cases in 2026.

WHEN:

Inquirer.com - Pennsylvania launched pop-up clinics in early May; turnout increased in mid-June and improved further when evening clinics were offered.

NPR - South Carolina’s outbreak ended in April. Utah had recorded no measles diagnoses for three weeks, according to the department’s report.

WHY:

Inquirer.com - Officials said some Amish residents had skipped vaccines for generations because of preferences for natural remedies, mistrust of vaccine contents, and little perceived need to vaccinate against a disease many had not encountered.

Inquirer.com - Clinics were kept discreet and publicized by word of mouth partly to respect Amish privacy and avoid negative attention or security concerns.

HOW:

Inquirer.com - Health officials worked with Amish elders and religious leaders to spread information through word of mouth, which some call the “Amish Internet,” and brought free vaccines close to families, including to private homes.

Inquirer.com - Clinics were scheduled in the evenings to accommodate farmers working in fields; some Amish families used hired drivers because many do not operate motor vehicles.

NPR - Officials urged residents to get fully vaccinated; Pennsylvania providers reported increased interest in measles vaccination.

(UPDATED October 26, 2026 19:26 UTC)

Pennsylvania has confirmed at least 1,338 measles cases across 44 counties, with more than 250 people hospitalized and five deaths, as Amish communities in Lancaster and Mifflin counties have been particularly affected. To bring vaccination closer to families, state health officials have organized 223 pop-up clinics and worked with Amish elders and religious leaders to share information, reaching more than 6,000 people through the clinics. Pennsylvania administered more than 39,000 measles vaccines during the first three weeks of October, and two doses of the MMR vaccine are nearly 97% effective against measles.