Measles cases in Georgia and the U.S. surged to levels in 2025 that haven’t been seen in three decades, fueled by declining childhood vaccinations and misinformation.

Public health officials say the trend mirrors a tragedy that unfolded in 2019 on the island nation of Samoa, when false claims about vaccine safety helped trigger a deadly outbreak that killed 83 people, most of them children. 

Atlanta News First investigative reporter Andy Pierrotti spoke with two leading vaccine experts about the facts and myths regarding the MMR vaccine.