When epidemiologist Sophia Newcomer tries to evaluate how well Montana might be able to ward off the measles outbreak spreading across the U.S., she doesn’t have much data to work with.

A federal state-by-state survey last year showed that just over 86% of Montana’s 2-year-olds had recently received the measles, mumps, and rubella immunization. That figure has decreased in recent years, according to earlier surveys, and Newcomer, an associate professor at the University of Montana, said the latest rate is “well below” the ideal 95% threshold for community protection against highly contagious diseases.



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