Developed by CDC, the Be Ready for Measles Toolkit supports state and local health departments with communication and preparedness resources to help prevent and respond to measles cases and outbreaks. Although widespread measles transmission in the United States remains unlikely due to strong immunization coverage and surveillance, cases still occur through international travel and in under-vaccinated communities.

 

The toolkit highlights timely case reporting, consistent case identification, and coordinated outreach to the public, clinicians, and partners. It offers ready-to-use and adaptable materials—including fact sheets, social media graphics, modeling tools, and clinical resources—to strengthen outbreak readiness and reinforce MMR vaccination as the most effective prevention strategy.

A new KFF Tracking Poll highlights a growing challenge for public health communication: trust in vaccines remains relatively strong, while trust in federal health institutions continues to decline. Fewer than half of U.S. adults now report trusting the CDC for vaccine information following recent changes to the childhood immunization schedule, and among those aware of the changes, most expect a negative impact on children’s health.

At the same time, confidence in the safety of long-standing vaccines such as MMR and polio remains high across demographic groups. These findings underscore the importance of addressing institutional trust and transparency as distinct—but critical—components of effective public health communication. Read the article from KFF here.

To support deeper understanding of these trends, KFF has also launched an interactive dashboard compiling five years of polling on public trust in health information, vaccine attitudes, and use of news, social media, and AI for health information here.

Resources from the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) support clear, evidence-based messaging following recent changes to federal childhood vaccine recommendations. While federal guidance has shifted, leading physician organizations continue to recommend vaccinating all children according to the previous, well-established immunization schedule.

PHCC’s ready-to-post graphics help communicators explain what the changes do—and do not—mean for parents and caregivers, emphasizing continued access to essential vaccines and trusted clinical guidance. Designed for easy sharing, these materials equip public health professionals to address confusion, reinforce confidence in routine childhood immunization, and direct families to authoritative sources such as the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended immunization schedule. Find them here.