Yes, the Measles Outbreak in Texas May Have to Do With Parents Not Vaccinating Their Kids

By Murphy Moroney

Published on 1/30/2018 at 1:08 PM

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) released a statement on Jan. 19 alerting families in Ellis County, TX, of a measles outbreak after six cases were confirmed. All six patients who contracted the measles are between 8 months and 27 years old and were not vaccinated previously.

The press release specifically urged anyone who attended the ShowBiz Cinemas in Waxahachie on Jan. 9 to check for symptoms since a customer who was sick with the measles saw a movie that day. Five more cases have been reported since the press release, and the Texas Department of State Health Services is encouraging parents to get families vaccinated against the disease:

"Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness spread by contact with an infected person through coughing and sneezing. Measles is so contagious that if someone has it, 90 percent of the people around that person who are not immune will also become infected. The measles vaccine is very effective, about 97 percent after two doses, but a few people who are vaccinated can still get sick, so even vaccinated people should monitor for symptoms."

If you think you or one of your family members has come in contact with an affected person, the CDC says the following symptoms will begin to appear between seven and 14 days after being infected:

  • a high fever
  • a cough
  • a runny nose
  • red, watery eyes
  • Koplik spots in the mouth (typically appear two to three days after symptoms begin)
  • a rash (typically appears three days after symptoms begin)

And the Texas Department of State Health Services is 100 percent right, measles is no joke and can be totally avoided — as long as you get your kids vaccinated. According to the World Health Organization, measles vaccinations resulted in an 84 percent drop in measles-related deaths between 2000 and 2016 worldwide.

But unfortunately for Texans, they're particularly more prone to measles outbreaks, likely because it's one of the 19 states that allow parents to opt out of the public school vaccination requirements for personal or moral reasons, as opposed to medical needs.

"None of them have been vaccinated, and that's the biggest risk factor," said Chris Van Deusen, the Department of State Health Services spokesperson, in an interview with CBS. "Those are the people we're most worried about."

If you think you have the measles, call your doctor ASAP and stay home to minimize the risk of infecting anyone else.