Before COVID-19, the U.S. was battling a resurgence of a different infectious disease: measles. New research shows a 2019 outbreak in Clark County, Washington, that sickened 72 people and made national headlines cost an estimated $3.4 million.
For the study, published in Pediatrics, researchers estimated the outbreak's costs relating to public health response, direct medical care and productivity losses.
The overall societal cost of the outbreak was about 3.4 million, or $47,479 per case. Public health efforts comprised most of the costs ($2.3 million), followed by productivity losses ($1 million) and direct medical expenses ($76,000).
"Our estimates can provide valuable inputs for policymakers and public health stakeholders as they consider budget determinations and the substantial value associated with increasing vaccine coverage and outbreak preparedness, as well as the protection of society against vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, which are readily preventable with high vaccination coverage," researchers concluded.
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