Nurses in Pennsylvania are visiting Amish families at their homes to offer vaccines during a deadly measles outbreak. Clinical supervisor Dale Weiser drives long distances to rural homes, where she answers questions around kitchen tables and vaccinates children and adults against the virus. Public health workers are traveling directly to families because many Amish people do not have regular contact with modern medical clinics.
About 90,000 Amish people live in Pennsylvania, mostly in and around Lancaster County. The Amish community lives simply, using horses and buggies instead of cars and avoiding many forms of modern technology. Experts estimate that only about a quarter of Amish residents in the area have received the measles vaccine. Because the Amish are very social, the virus has spread quickly, leading to four reported deaths in the state, including two newborn babies.
To protect families, local health officials in Chester County are using strategies learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. By knocking on doors and offering private home vaccinations, health workers have administered 538 measles vaccines, with 340 given in private settings. Officials say visiting homes helps build trust and dispels false rumors about vaccine safety, encouraging hesitant parents to protect their children.