In Lubbock, Texas, pregnant mother Leah has been avoiding public spaces for two weeks following the measles-related death of an unvaccinated six-year-old childโthe first US measles fatality in nearly a decade.
Despite being vaccinated herself, Leah fears contracting measles could harm her unborn baby. Her paediatrician advised accelerating her older son’s second vaccine dose as risks increase.
The US eliminated measles in 2000, but rising anti-vaccine sentiment has triggered multiple outbreaks. The current Texas outbreak originated in a Mennonite community near Lubbock and has spread to over 130 cases across Texas and New Mexico, with 18 hospitalizations.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described the outbreak as “not unusual”โa claim contested by medical professionals and local residents. Public health experts worry Kennedy’s past vaccine skepticism and recent actions could worsen the situation.
Katherine Wells, Lubbock Public Health Department director, hasn’t had a day off since the outbreak began. She’s hosting vaccine clinics, contacting exposed individuals, and educating the community.
“It’s as stressful, if not more stressful than it was at the beginning of the COVID pandemic,” Wells told the BBC.
The highly contagious measles virus, which spreads through air and surfaces, poses particular danger to immunocompromised, children under one, and pregnant womenโnone of whom can be vaccinated.
Kyle Rable, whose wife is nine months pregnant, fears for his soon-to-be-born son. “With it spreading essentially like wildfire out here, do we just not leave our house for a year? We can’t do that.”
Experts say 95% vaccination rates are needed for herd immunity, but several western Texas communities fall short, including Gaines County where only 82% of kindergartners are vaccinated.
Prior to Kennedy’s confirmation, health experts warned about his vaccine skepticism. Though he pledged support for measles vaccination during confirmation hearings, his recent actions include investigating childhood vaccination schedules, delaying CDC advisory panel meetings, and halting immunization promotion campaigns.
When addressing the outbreak, Kennedy claimed children with measles were hospitalized only for quarantineโa statement hospital officials disputed, noting patients were admitted due to illness severity.
Lubbock health official Ron Cook emphasized, “It’s a devastating disease. And it’s completely preventable.”
Wells has seen some encouraging signsโ18 people sought vaccination after the child’s death was announced. However, she notes, “In Texas, vaccines are very much a choice.”
Local health officials continue working to build vaccine confidence. “We’re seeing some success,” Cook said, “but it would be nice to have some confidence coming out of the powers that beโat the national level.”
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