Measles Crisis Deepens in Minnesota's Somali Community Amid Vaccination Fears
Public health officials in Minnesota have issued stark warnings that a measles crisis has been long brewing, with vaccination rates among the state's large Somali community plummeting dramatically. According to state data, the measles vaccination rate for Somali 2-year-olds has dropped from 92% in 2006 to just 24% today, far below the 95% threshold required to prevent outbreaks of this highly contagious disease.
Compounding Factors: Immigration Crackdown and Misinformation
Even before federal immigration authorities launched a crackdown in Minneapolis, community leaders noted that vaccine misinformation was spreading rapidly. The persistent myth that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism has taken deep root, despite scientific evidence to the contrary. Not even four measles outbreaks since 2011 have reversed this troubling trend.
"People are worried about survival," said nurse practitioner Munira Maalimisaq, CEO of the Inspire Change Clinic near a Minneapolis neighborhood with many Somali residents. "Vaccines are the last thing on people's minds. But it is a big issue."
Imam Yusuf Abdulle emphasized how immigration enforcement has exacerbated the situation: "People are stuck in their homes, cannot go to work. It is madness. And the last thing to think about is talking about autism, talking about childhood vaccination."
The Autism Connection and Scientific Uncertainty
University of Minnesota data reveals that estimated autism rates in Somali 4-year-olds are 3.5 times higher than those of white 4-year-olds in the state. Researchers acknowledge they don't know why this disparity exists, and in this vacuum of scientific certainty, inaccurate beliefs about vaccine safety have flourished.
Many in the community blame the MMR shot, despite it being proven to safely protect against three viruses. At recent Motherhood Circle gatherings, Somali mothers and grandmothers have raised persistent questions: Won't a shot for three viruses overwhelm a baby? Why does autism seem more prevalent here than back home?
Mahdi Warsama, CEO of the Somali Parents Autism Network, traces the issue back more than a decade to when discredited researcher Andrew Wakefield published his since-retracted study claiming a link between autism and the MMR vaccine. Wakefield visited with Twin Cities Somalis in 2011, leaving a lasting impact.
Eroding Trust and Community Impact
About 84,000 Somalis live in the Twin Cities area, representing the country's largest Somali community, with most being U.S. citizens. Before the immigration crackdown, community spaces like mosques and malls buzzed with activity. Now, many want to lie low, afraid to seek routine medical care.
"Without those touchpoints, trust quickly erodes," Maalimisaq explained. She noted that among the last cohort of Somali moms at her clinic, 83% had vaccinated their kids by the end of a 12-month program, with some creating 10-second videos explaining their decisions. However, these efforts have now paused.
The community has long dealt with racism and isolation while building strong support networks. Parents want answers for the autism rates, but science offers no simple explanations for what causes this lifelong neurological condition.
Public Health Response and New Strategies
Local health officials have followed best practices by enlisting community members to champion vaccines, hosting mobile clinics, and uplifting the work of Somali health providers. However, initiatives have been start-and-stop, with federal funding cuts affecting efforts and public health officials admitting their outreach could be more consistent.
Dr. Bryan Fate, leader of a Children's Minnesota vaccine confidence committee, said new strategies are underway, including social media videos from doctors and possibly prenatal classes for expectant parents. "I'm going to call you in five days," Fate tells hesitant parents, "and there'll be no changes to this speech."
Fatuma Sharif-Mohamed, a Somali community health educator, emphasized that parents want to be heard, not debated: "That 15 minutes will not change the mind of a parent." Some doctors are pushing beyond the exam room with work they describe as slow and taxing, noting that changing one family's mind can take multiple visits or even years.
Measles Threat and Community Suffering
Carly Edson, the state health department's immunization outreach coordinator, warned: "Measles is just a plane ride away, and measles is going to find the unvaccinated. We are always at risk." Measles remains endemic in Somalia, where war and international aid cuts have crippled the medical system, and elsewhere in East Africa where Minnesota residents often travel.
Imam Abdulle said when parents ask him about the vaccine, he shares his personal story: he decided to wait on vaccinating his son, who was later diagnosed with autism at age 3 and subsequently vaccinated. "Correlation," he reminds parents, "is not causation."
"Our kids are the ones who are getting sick," Abdulle said. "Our community is suffering." Last year, Minnesota logged 26 measles cases across several different communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.
Small Victories and Persistent Challenges
Despite the grim statistics, immunization advocates have noted small victories, including mobile clinics and a vaccine confidence task force. State data suggests efforts to catch kids up may be effective: while less than 1 in 4 Somali kids in Minnesota is vaccinated against measles by age 2, 86% get at least one dose by age 6, just short of the statewide rate of 89%.
However, doctors worry particularly about unprotected young children, for whom severe complications including pneumonia, brain swelling, and blindness are more common. With the U.S. on the verge of losing its measles elimination status, those on the front lines against vaccine misinformation say much progress has been lost.
In Maalimisaq's Motherhood Circles, the most effective messages often come from fellow parents rather than doctors. Mirad Farah, whose daughter was born premature, worried the MMR shot would be too much and delayed vaccination. Her daughter still developed autism. "So what did that tell me?" she asked the room. "It confirmed that autism is not from the MMR."
As the discussion group for Somali mothers at Inspire Change has shifted online indefinitely, and community WhatsApp groups focus on more pressing priorities like childcare during school closures and safe grocery access, the public health challenge continues to grow. With measles experiencing its highest spread in the country in more than three decades, Minnesota's Somali community faces a compounded crisis of fear, misinformation, and genuine public health risk.
