Cook, along with Katherine Wells, Lubbock’s public health director, emphasized that the current outbreak shows no signs of subsiding. This situation spans across nine counties in Texas, many of which have notably low vaccination rates. “The outbreak is likely to keep increasing,” Wells stated, refraining from predicting how high the final number of cases might reach when asked if it could reach several hundred.

To date, 116 out of 146 reported cases involve individuals under 18 years old, with 46 cases among those aged 0 to 4. Only five of these 146 cases have received at least one dose of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Awareness Efforts

On a brighter note, Wells mentioned that the ongoing outbreak has encouraged some vaccine-hesitant parents to immunize their children. Just yesterday, more than 50 children visited Lubbock’s clinic for measles vaccinations. Among them, eleven had vaccine exemptions, indicating their parents previously went through the state’s process to avoid routine childhood vaccines required for school attendance. “This is a promising indication; it shows that our message is resonating,” Wells commented.

Since the outbreak began in late January, communication regarding the disease and the necessity of vaccination has primarily come from local and state health officials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a brief statement late Thursday, which wasn’t distributed through its regular press channels. The statement acknowledged that “vaccination remains the most effective defense against measles infection.”

During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been known for his anti-vaccine stance, addressed questions about the outbreak, providing several pieces of misinformation. He attempted to downplay the outbreak by claiming it is “not unusual.” However, this year is indeed atypical for measles in the U.S. As epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina pointed out on Bluesky, the number of measles cases in the U.S. this year has already surpassed the total counts from eight out of the last fifteen years, and it is still only February.