Establish Statewide Measles Outbreak Response Standards for College Campuses

Measles outbreaks are spreading across college campuses in at least 17 states, and the current patchwork of local responses is failing to contain transmission. After hitting a 30-year high last year, measles cases continue to climb, with universities now reporting clusters tied directly to campus exposure. I am writing to urge you to establish uniform, statewide measles outbreak response standards immediately. The conditions on college campuses create ideal environments for rapid viral spread. Dormitories, lecture halls, dining facilities, and sporting events bring thousands of people into close contact daily. Measles spreads through the air and can linger in a space for hours, with a single case capable of infecting nearly everyone who is unvaccinated and enters that area. When infections occur on campus, they quickly move beyond campus borders into surrounding communities, putting families, healthcare workers, and vulnerable populations at risk. We have proven interventions that work: vaccination, rapid isolation, and clear reporting requirements. The problem is not a lack of tools but a lack of coordination. Many states currently leave colleges to manage outbreaks under uneven guidelines, creating dangerous delays that allow the virus to spread unchecked. I am asking you to implement statewide standards that include mandatory vaccination compliance policies for students and staff, clear quarantine protocols for exposed individuals, rapid public health coordination between campuses and state health departments, and transparent communication requirements to keep communities informed. These measures protect not just students and faculty but entire regions from preventable disease. The measles virus does not respect institutional boundaries or county lines. Our response should not either. Establishing consistent statewide standards will save lives, prevent costly outbreaks, and demonstrate that public health leadership means acting decisively when the evidence is clear.