Host cites Washington Post, state health official on South Carolina measles surge and vaccine hesitancy

On Megatrends, host Pat Fahey relayed reporting from the Washington Post and comments from South Carolina public‑health officials about a measles outbreak in the state’s Upstate region. Fahey said state epidemiologist Linda Bell traced a sizable outbreak to a church and reported that most cases involved unvaccinated people.

Fahey summarized numbers cited in the briefing and in the Post: an initial report referenced about 111 cases in the Upstate, of which 105 involved people described as unvaccinated and 3 as partially vaccinated. He later said the Department of Public Health reported 27 new cases since Friday, bringing the total to 114; Fahey added that 254 people had been placed in quarantine and 16 were in isolation.

Fahey also quoted vaccine‑effectiveness figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, saying a single dose of MMR is roughly 93 percent effective against measles and the two‑dose series about 97 percent effective. "If you were vaccinated, you're fine," Fahey said while urging listeners to get children vaccinated.

Fahey framed the outbreak as part of a broader national trend he said has been linked to increases in vaccine misinformation, citing recent rises in measles and other vaccine‑preventable diseases across the U.S. He encouraged listeners to seek authoritative sources for vaccination guidance and to consult state health departments for local updates.

No official action by local or state governments was recorded in the program beyond the public‑health briefing Fahey relayed; the segment presents the reporting and the officials’ numbers rather than new local policy steps.