Concerns over measles outbreak heighten as spring break travel nears

Measles cases continue to climb in Texas. On Tuesday, state health officials reported 25 new measles cases since the end of last week. The state’s total now stands at 223 measles cases.

While the epicenter of the measles outbreak is more than 300 miles west of North Texas, Tarrant and Dallas County leaders say they have been working with healthcare workers and school districts ahead of spring break.

As of Tuesday, the count for measles in Tarrant and Dallas County remains at zero.

On Tuesday morning, Russ Jones, Chief Epidemiologist at Tarrant County Public Health, updated county commissioners on the data surrounding the disease and the effectiveness of vaccinations.

“If we have cases, we'll do a targeted vaccine type of effort,” Jones said. “Our nurses would set up and offer vaccines… If we can get to people within three days of exposure with a vaccination, we can possibly stop or at least lessen the severity of the illness.”

Schools, daycares, or other locations at risk of an outbreak could request vaccination services from the Tarrant County Health Department’s mobile unit.

“We'll park our mobile unit in a parking lot. And that way, people who had kids there can come, and if they want, can get their kids vaccinated if they're previously unvaccinated or under-vaccinated and they've had exposure,” Brian Byrd, Tarrant County Public Health Director said.

Last week, Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth also announced their game plan. They have designated six negative-pressure rooms as an infectious disease unit to care for children potentially diagnosed with measles.

In Dallas County, health officials are worried about the effects spring break travel could have.

“There’s this large population out in West Texas. And that’s where you worry about traveling and, you know, spreading it across other areas and across the country,” Dr. Philip Huang, Director for Dallas County Health and Human Services said. “The main vulnerability is, again, when you get populations of people in larger numbers that are not vaccinated and not protected.”

Dr. Huang said he’s in constant communication with the health director in Gaines County. Most of the measles cases continue to be from Gaines County.

“We're certainly watching very closely what's going on in West Texas,” Dr. Huang said.

Like efforts in Tarrant County, Dallas County Health and Human Services is working proactively with schools and has identified those with low vaccination rates.

“We've been scheduling clinics at some of these schools and working with the school districts that have expressed interest. We also every day we have the vaccine available at our health department clinics, so anyone can come in, make an appointment,” Huang said. “If you have the two doses, it's like 97% effective at preventing measles.”

Still, some health experts realize their biggest challenge is to re-establish trust between the community and public health efforts.

“We never pressure anybody to take any medical treatment,” Byrd said. “We just like to give them information that is important.”

What is measles?

Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to nine out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed.

Most kids will recover from measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and death.

Is the vaccine safe?

Yes, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective in preventing measles infection and severe cases of the disease.

The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old, and the second for children between 4 and 6 years old. The vaccine series is required for kids before kindergarten in public schools nationwide.

Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, the U.S. saw some 3 million to 4 million cases per year. Now, there are usually fewer than 200 in a normal year.

There is no link between the vaccine and autism, despite a now-discredited study and health disinformation.

Why do vaccination rates matter?

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.

Gaines County has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year. Health officials said that number is likely higher because it doesn’t include many children who are homeschooled and whose data would not be reported.

What are public health officials doing to stop the spread?

Health workers are hosting regular vaccination clinics and screening efforts in Texas, as well as working with schools to educate people about the importance of vaccination and offering shots.

Cook Children's Measles FAQ