The New Jersey State Senate has introduced a resolution urging citizens to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations, particularly in light of recent outbreaks of preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough. The resolution highlights the importance of achieving a certain vaccination rate within communities to effectively eradicate these diseases. It notes a concerning decline in vaccination rates among children in New Jersey, with a significant drop in the percentage of first-grade children meeting immunization requirements over the past decade. The resurgence of measles, which was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, is attributed to these declining rates, with a majority of recent cases occurring among unvaccinated individuals.

To combat this trend, the resolution calls on the New Jersey Department of Health to increase awareness about the importance of vaccinations and the current measles outbreak. It suggests developing and distributing informational materials to residents about vaccination resources. The resolution emphasizes that when a community achieves high vaccination rates, it not only protects individuals but also safeguards the most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, through community immunity. The resolution is set to take effect immediately and will be communicated to relevant state officials.