Franklin County families heading into the new school year face a pointed reminder: measles is spreading in Ohio, and the first day of class at New Albany-Plain Local Schools is less than two weeks away.
The Ohio Department of Health reported 59 measles cases statewide in 2026 as of Aug. 4, with almost half concentrated in Franklin and Knox counties, according to ABC6/WSYX. ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff urged families to verify their children's records before the school year begins, warning that skipping shots puts the broader community at risk.
"Over the past several years, vaccination rates have been slipping, both in Ohio and nationwide," Vanderhoff said.
The trend is not new. In 2025, Ohio recorded 45 measles cases, and every confirmed infection involved someone who was either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.
New Albany's recent history
The urgency hits close to home. In October 2025, Franklin County Public Health confirmed a measles case in an unvaccinated New Albany-Plain Local School District student who had recently traveled internationally. That cluster eventually grew to five confirmed cases in central Ohio, all in unvaccinated individuals. FCPH and Columbus Public Health responded by holding a free vaccine clinic at the New Albany Early Learning Center gymnasium on Oct. 11, 2025.
Franklin County declared another measles outbreak in February 2026, one of three outbreaks the state has recorded this year, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The most recent, declared July 30, has already grown to at least 11 cases across Ashtabula, Tuscarawas and Geauga counties, with all confirmed individuals unvaccinated.
What parents need to know
NAPLS opens for the 2026-27 school year on Aug. 19. Ohio requires students to be current on vaccinations including MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) to attend school.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles. The CDC recommends the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second at ages 4 to 6. Measles is extraordinarily contagious: nine out of 10 unprotected people exposed will become ill, and the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Ohio's MMR coverage rate for children and adolescents stood at 91.5% in 2023, the most recent year available, below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.
How to act
Families can check vaccination records through their pediatrician or through the Ohio Department of Health at odh.ohio.gov. Franklin County Public Health can be reached at (614) 525-3859 or myfcph.org for information on clinic availability.
NAPLS families with questions about enrollment vaccination requirements should contact the district directly before Aug. 19.
