Summit County families heading back to school in late August will have a chance to get free measles vaccines at local campuses, as health officials brace for a possible resurgence of the virus that has already produced 524 cases in Utah this year.

The Summit County Health Department plans to hold multiple MMR vaccine clinics at area schools before classes start, according to the Park Record. Health Director Phil Bondurant said cost will not be a barrier.

"If there are individuals who want to be vaccinated and it seems as though the cost of the vaccine is the greatest barrier, that should never be a hesitation among families who want to be vaccinated," Bondurant said Tuesday. "Folks can show up. We'll figure out a way to get them vaccinated and taken care of."

No new measles cases have been reported in Summit County since April. But with roughly 92% of local students vaccinated, the county sits three percentage points below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity. That gap matters. Classrooms remain vulnerable when doors reopen.

Summit County Epidemiologist Nancy Porter said the U.S. has logged 2,370 measles cases in 2026 as of Tuesday, Aug. 4. Utah trails only South Carolina (670 cases) for the highest state total, and has already surpassed its entire 2025 case count halfway through the year.

Cases statewide have slowed over the summer to fewer than five per week, but Porter warned the virus may "ramp up" once students are back in close quarters.

Nursing Director Derek Moss said the department has already contacted all three local school districts to coordinate outbreak response plans. The blueprint established with district superintendents "remains in place, and we're ready to utilize that," Moss said.

The department is also working with the state on wastewater testing for measles, similar to surveillance used during COVID-19. Unlike coronavirus wastewater monitoring, measles testing can identify where the virus is present but not how many people are infected.

Summit County confirmed its first case of the current outbreak on Jan. 10 in a South Summit School District student. The health department issued a public advisory on March 18 after an uptick in cases and community exposures. Since then, the outbreak has spread to 22 of Utah's 29 counties, with more than 680 people infected statewide since June 2025.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are more than 97% effective at preventing measles. The virus is airborne and can linger in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who contract measles require hospitalization.

Families seeking vaccine information or clinic schedules can visit summitcountyhealth.org or call the Summit County Health Department at 801-442-2610.