In the small town of Seminole, Texas, measles has surged, affecting numerous children, yet more than 350 members of the Community Church of Seminole congregated for a Sunday service. The service was held with congregants seated closely together, siblings dressed smartly, and young girls adorned with pink bows in their hair. During the service, fathers calmed loud toddlers while mothers discreetly changed infants’ diapers.
The senior pastor, David Klassen, mentioned that a little girl from the predominantly Mennonite congregation was among those infected by the highly contagious disease. Fortunately, she is recovering well, having played through her period of quarantine. Klassen noted that some Mennonite schools had temporarily closed for thorough cleaning, yet he had not received guidance from public health officials as cases reached 146, and a child succumbed to the illness. Despite his leadership position, Klassen had not been approached by church members for vaccination advice, remaining neutral on the subject.
While Mecklenburg resurfaces in West Texas—a disease considered eradicated in the U.S. in 2000—Mennonites and other local families maintain autonomy over such health decisions, resisting external mandates. Amidst the measles outbreak in this Trump-supporting region, misinformation about vaccines, skepticism towards public health officials, and fear of government intervention pervade, with national figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent health official and vaccine critic, labeling the situation in Texas as not uncommon.
Kennedy, in an opinion piece, acknowledged the importance of vaccines but advised parents to seek individual counsel with healthcare providers instead of making blanket recommendations. The skepticism surrounding vaccines has been further fueled by legislation aimed at broadening vaccine exemptions in Texas, a state that already permits such exemptions for reasons of personal conscience, including religious beliefs.
Healthcare professionals on the frontline, including Dr. Summer Davies, a pediatrician at Texas Tech Physicians, are witnessing the tangible impact, treating around 10 measles cases, predominantly among infants and teens, some requiring intubation or experiencing severe dehydration due to high fevers.
In Lubbock County, where 92% of kindergarteners have received their MMR vaccine, the vaccination rate still falls short of the 95% needed for effective herd immunity. In Gaines County, including Seminole, the MMR vaccination rate is only 82%, with even lower rates likely among homeschooled or private school children.
At Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, all measles admissions involved unvaccinated children, according to the hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Lara Johnson. Over 20 patients, including teens and pregnant women, have been treated since the outbreak began in late January.
This escalation has alarmed healthcare providers like Dr. Martin Ortega of Texas Tech Physicians in Odessa, a neighboring town, as well as doctors in Lea County, New Mexico, who are encountering measles for the first time in their careers amid new cases in their radius.
For Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock’s public health department, the rural West Texas landscape poses significant challenges in transporting patients and disseminating vital information. Despite facing harsh criticism and efforts to discredit her team’s work, public health officials are using local media, billboards, and social media to raise awareness about measles and encourage vaccinations.
Brownfield Mayor Eric Horton, albeit a Trump supporter, is an advocate for the MMR vaccine and is concerned for his community, especially after COVID-19 left a pronounced mark. Many residents, though conservative, don’t dismiss the necessity of childhood vaccinations. However, there is discord over COVID-19 and flu vaccines, reflecting differing attitudes towards vaccination.
Vaccine hesitancy, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic’s residual distrust in public health systems and the spread of misinformation, particularly impacts rural areas with limited access to diverse information sources, observed Dr. Rumbidzai Mutikani, a pediatrician in Hobbs.
Despite this, many Texas parents like Jennifer Sanchez in Odessa, are proactive about vaccinating their children, eager for more governmental support to combat the outbreaks and safeguard their families.
