Latest news with #ImmunizationPartnership
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas House pushes bill that threatens vaccine safeguards amid measles outbreak
May 12—AUSTIN — The Texas House of Representatives is considering advancing House Bill 1586 (HB 1586), a dangerous proposal that would lead to more unvaccinated children in schools — just as the state faces a deadly measles outbreak. As of last week, the bill has been placed on the General State Calendar and is headed for a vote by the full House. The Immunization Partnership (TIP) strongly opposes HB 1586 because it poses a direct threat to the health of children, immunocompromised individuals, the elderly and communities across Texas. Both confirmed childhood deaths and the majority of hospitalizations in the current measles outbreak have occurred among unvaccinated children. HB 1586 goes against the views of most Texans, who support strong vaccine requirements to protect public health. "This bill is a clear danger to the safety of our communities," Terri Burke, executive director of The Immunization Partnership, said in a news release. "Rolling back protections in the middle of an outbreak is reckless. Once again, the Legislature is ignoring the will of its constituents. More people testified against this bill in committee than testified for it, and 72 percent of the written comments opposed it. It's fair to ask: Who are lawmakers really listening to?" School vaccine exemptions in Texas have more than doubled since 2018. HB 1586 would only accelerate this trend by removing guardrails to protect children, increasing the risk of future outbreaks. If the public wants to help stop HB 1586 and protect children's health, they can contact their Texas state representative through an electronic form at
CNN
14-03-2025
- Health
- CNN
Health officials prepare for measles spread as disinformation threatens already low vaccination rates
When Pastor Landon Schott attended a school board meeting for Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy last week, he found the room filled with balloons and T-shirts. The celebratory shirts read: #1 school in Texas for least amount of vaccinations. Schott, who has more than 48,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video to congratulate all the families at the school who have chosen to 'embrace freedom of health and they are not allowing government or science projects to affect how you live and lead your life.' State Rep. Nate Schatzline also shared the news with his over 17,000 followers on X. His video says that the school is in his district and that his children attend there. 'Why haven't we celebrated this sooner?' the Republican asked. The Fort Worth-area school has the lowest measles vaccination rate in Texas: Just 14% of incoming kindergartners had measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) coverage last school year, according to data from the state health department. But low vaccination rates across Texas are leaving many communities vulnerable amid a measles outbreak centered in the western part of the state, one of the largest the United States has seen since the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 2000. In efforts to prevent even broader spread, public health officials in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma are working around the clock to raise vaccination rates and otherwise help protect vulnerable communities – work that is challenged by the spread of disinformation. 'They are stressed and stretched beyond belief,' Terri Burke, executive director of the Immunization Partnership, a nonprofit focused on improving vaccination coverage in Texas, said at a briefing Thursday. 'The biggest thing I'm hearing is the need for more resources.' One public health director in a county that has been hit by the outbreak told Burke she had been working more than a month straight without a day off. 'We spoke at six o'clock at night, and she told me she had started at 4:30 that morning,' she said. Overall, the MMR vaccination rate among kindergartners in Texas was 94.3% for the 2023-24 school year, just below the 95% target that federal agencies have set to prevent epidemics. But about half of all school districts in the state have coverage that falls below this threshold, including nearly a quarter that have a vaccination rate of less than 90%. And Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy is one of more than a dozen schools where coverage was less than 50%. The school did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on its vaccination coverage. Tarrant County, home to Mercy Culture Preparatory, has not reported any measles cases this year, but local health officials there and in many parts of the state are preparing for what seems inevitable. 'We're kind of a more high-risk area, if you will,' Russ Jones, chief epidemiologist with the Tarrant County Public Health Department, said at a county commissioners' meeting Tuesday, referencing the county's vaccination rate of 91.5%. 'At this level, we'll have some cases.' He also noted that there are pockets of the county where even larger shares are unvaccinated, including children at Mercy Culture Preparatory. 'Those would be particularly vulnerable if that network of cases crosses with our unvaccinated population,' he said. 'If it doesn't happen, there won't be a problem. If it does, then we could have many cases, depending on the population it crosses with.' To prepare, the county health department is communicating directly with schools and day cares and coordinating with hospitals and other local health care providers. Vaccines are available at community clinics, too. 'There is a heightened vigilance across our state because of this outbreak,' Burke said. As public health experts work to curb the spread, there's concern about the ways anti-vaccine messaging can hinder their efforts. 'There has been a lot of misinformation [and] disinformation on social media,' said Dr. Philip Huang, director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department. 'On social media, you can put some of that info out there without any fact checks, and incorrect information is just as readily available as correct information.' He also attributed decreasing vaccination rates to a distrust in government and politicization over vaccinations in general. 'There are these pockets of communities that are anti-vax, and so you can get a lot of people together that aren't vaccinated, and that's the biggest … dangerous situation,' Huang said. As in Tarrant County, Huang's department has hosted informational sessions with school nurses, physicians and hospitals to make sure everyone is up to speed on measles. He has sent letters to public and private school officials who are in districts with low vaccination rates and offered to provide vaccines. Across the state line in New Mexico, which has also seen dozens of measles cases, officials are providing vaccines through free clinics. Jimmy Masters, the Southeast regional director with the New Mexico Department of Public Health, says the driving message is 'to be proactive.' His region has set up clinics not only in Lea and Eddy counties, where there are current cases, but in neighboring Chaves County. Residents are encouraged to check their vaccination status if they are unsure whether they ever received a dose of the MMR vaccine. New Mexico has administered nearly twice as many MMR vaccines as last year. In the past six weeks, there have been nearly 10,000 doses given, compared with about 5,300 in the same time frame last year. Primary care physicians can also play a key role in getting ahead of the measles outbreak by addressing questions and concerns directly with patients and families. 'We have a number of parents today who have concerns about all the vaccines their children receive. We'd recommend they talk to their primary care physician,' Tarrant County's Jones said. Some pediatricians – both in counties that have reported cases and in those that haven't – are reaching out to families directly to raise their awareness of the ongoing outbreak and encourage them to get their children vaccinated. 'I think it's very important for all of us – and especially on an individual level – to continue to be the voice of truth, if you will, but also the voice of strength and endurance and commitment to our families and our children in Texas,' Dr. Ana Montanez, a pediatrician in Lubbock, said at the briefing Thursday. Learning about how many vaccinations had been administered in New Mexico bolstered her determination to continue the work she's been doing to keep her patients and their families safe. 'That extra effort is being made, and there is a difference that is coming out from that, although it may be small and tied up in little experiences,' she said. 'But it is making a difference.'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health officials prepare for measles spread as disinformation threatens already low vaccination rates
When Pastor Landon Schott attended a school board meeting for Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy last week, he found the room filled with balloons and T-shirts. The celebratory shirts read: #1 school in Texas for least amount of vaccinations. Schott, who has more than 48,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video to congratulate all the families at the school who have chosen to 'embrace freedom of health and they are not allowing government or science projects to affect how you live and lead your life.' State Rep. Nate Schatzline also shared the news with his over 17,000 followers on X. His video says that the school is in his district and that his children attend there. 'Why haven't we celebrated this sooner?' the Republican asked. The Fort Worth-area school has the lowest measles vaccination rate in Texas: Just 14% of incoming kindergartners had measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) coverage last school year, according to data from the state health department. But low vaccination rates across Texas are leaving many communities vulnerable amid a measles outbreak centered in the western part of the state, one of the largest the United States has seen since the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 2000. In efforts to prevent even broader spread, public health officials in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma are working around the clock to raise vaccination rates and otherwise help protect vulnerable communities – work that is challenged by the spread of disinformation. 'They are stressed and stretched beyond belief,' Terri Burke, executive director of the Immunization Partnership, a nonprofit focused on improving vaccination coverage in Texas, said at a briefing Thursday. 'The biggest thing I'm hearing is the need for more resources.' One public health director in a county that has been hit by the outbreak told Burke she had been working more than a month straight without a day off. 'We spoke at six o'clock at night, and she told me she had started at 4:30 that morning,' she said. Overall, the MMR vaccination rate among kindergartners in Texas was 94.3% for the 2023-24 school year, just below the 95% target that federal agencies have set to prevent epidemics. But about half of all school districts in the state have coverage that falls below this threshold, including nearly a quarter that have a vaccination rate of less than 90%. And Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy is one of more than a dozen schools where coverage was less than 50%. The school did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on its vaccination coverage. Tarrant County, home to Mercy Culture Preparatory, has not reported any measles cases this year, but local health officials there and in many parts of the state are preparing for what seems inevitable. 'We're kind of a more high-risk area, if you will,' Russ Jones, chief epidemiologist with the Tarrant County Public Health Department, said at a county commissioners' meeting Tuesday, referencing the county's vaccination rate of 91.5%. 'At this level, we'll have some cases.' He also noted that there are pockets of the county where even larger shares are unvaccinated, including children at Mercy Culture Preparatory. 'Those would be particularly vulnerable if that network of cases crosses with our unvaccinated population,' he said. 'If it doesn't happen, there won't be a problem. If it does, then we could have many cases, depending on the population it crosses with.' To prepare, the county health department is communicating directly with schools and day cares and coordinating with hospitals and other local health care providers. Vaccines are available at community clinics, too. 'There is a heightened vigilance across our state because of this outbreak,' Burke said. As public health experts work to curb the spread, there's concern about the ways anti-vaccine messaging can hinder their efforts. 'There has been a lot of misinformation [and] disinformation on social media,' said Dr. Philip Huang, director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department. 'On social media, you can put some of that info out there without any fact checks, and incorrect information is just as readily available as correct information.' He also attributed decreasing vaccination rates to a distrust in government and politicization over vaccinations in general. 'There are these pockets of communities that are anti-vax, and so you can get a lot of people together that aren't vaccinated, and that's the biggest … dangerous situation,' Huang said. As in Tarrant County, Huang's department has hosted informational sessions with school nurses, physicians and hospitals to make sure everyone is up to speed on measles. He has sent letters to public and private school officials who are in districts with low vaccination rates and offered to provide vaccines. Across the state line in New Mexico, which has also seen dozens of measles cases, officials are providing vaccines through free clinics. Jimmy Masters, the Southeast regional director with the New Mexico Department of Public Health, says the driving message is 'to be proactive.' His region has set up clinics not only in Lea and Eddy counties, where there are current cases, but in neighboring Chaves County. Residents are encouraged to check their vaccination status if they are unsure whether they ever received a dose of the MMR vaccine. New Mexico has administered nearly twice as many MMR vaccines as last year. In the past six weeks, there have been nearly 10,000 doses given, compared with about 5,300 in the same time frame last year. Primary care physicians can also play a key role in getting ahead of the measles outbreak by addressing questions and concerns directly with patients and families. 'We have a number of parents today who have concerns about all the vaccines their children receive. We'd recommend they talk to their primary care physician,' Tarrant County's Jones said. Some pediatricians – both in counties that have reported cases and in those that haven't – are reaching out to families directly to raise their awareness of the ongoing outbreak and encourage them to get their children vaccinated. 'I think it's very important for all of us – and especially on an individual level – to continue to be the voice of truth, if you will, but also the voice of strength and endurance and commitment to our families and our children in Texas,' Dr. Ana Montanez, a pediatrician in Lubbock, said at the briefing Thursday. Learning about how many vaccinations had been administered in New Mexico bolstered her determination to continue the work she's been doing to keep her patients and their families safe. 'That extra effort is being made, and there is a difference that is coming out from that, although it may be small and tied up in little experiences,' she said. 'But it is making a difference.'
CNN
13-03-2025
- Health
- CNN
Health officials prepare for measles spread as disinformation threatens already low vaccination rates
When Pastor Landon Schott attended a school board meeting for Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy last week, he found the room filled with balloons and T-shirts. The celebratory shirts read: #1 school in Texas for least amount of vaccinations. Schott, who has more than 48,000 followers on Instagram, posted a video to congratulate all the families at the school who have chosen to 'embrace freedom of health and they are not allowing government or science projects to affect how you live and lead your life.' State Rep. Nate Schatzline also shared the news with his over 17,000 followers on X. His video says that the school is in his district and that his children attend there. 'Why haven't we celebrated this sooner?' the Republican asked. The Fort Worth-area school has the lowest measles vaccination rate in Texas: Just 14% of incoming kindergartners had measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) coverage last school year, according to data from the state health department. But low vaccination rates across Texas are leaving many communities vulnerable amid a measles outbreak centered in the western part of the state, one of the largest the United States has seen since the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 2000. In efforts to prevent even broader spread, public health officials in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma are working around the clock to raise vaccination rates and otherwise help protect vulnerable communities – work that is challenged by the spread of disinformation. 'They are stressed and stretched beyond belief,' Terri Burke, executive director of the Immunization Partnership, a nonprofit focused on improving vaccination coverage in Texas, said at a briefing Thursday. 'The biggest thing I'm hearing is the need for more resources.' One public health director in a county that has been hit by the outbreak told Burke she had been working more than a month straight without a day off. 'We spoke at six o'clock at night, and she told me she had started at 4:30 that morning,' she said. Overall, the MMR vaccination rate among kindergartners in Texas was 94.3% for the 2023-24 school year, just below the 95% target that federal agencies have set to prevent epidemics. But about half of all school districts in the state have coverage that falls below this threshold, including nearly a quarter that have a vaccination rate of less than 90%. And Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy is one of more than a dozen schools where coverage was less than 50%. The school did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on its vaccination coverage. Tarrant County, home to Mercy Culture Preparatory, has not reported any measles cases this year, but local health officials there and in many parts of the state are preparing for what seems inevitable. 'We're kind of a more high-risk area, if you will,' Russ Jones, chief epidemiologist with the Tarrant County Public Health Department, said at a county commissioners' meeting Tuesday, referencing the county's vaccination rate of 91.5%. 'At this level, we'll have some cases.' He also noted that there are pockets of the county where even larger shares are unvaccinated, including children at Mercy Culture Preparatory. 'Those would be particularly vulnerable if that network of cases crosses with our unvaccinated population,' he said. 'If it doesn't happen, there won't be a problem. If it does, then we could have many cases, depending on the population it crosses with.' To prepare, the county health department is communicating directly with schools and day cares and coordinating with hospitals and other local health care providers. Vaccines are available at community clinics, too. 'There is a heightened vigilance across our state because of this outbreak,' Burke said. As public health experts work to curb the spread, there's concern about the ways anti-vaccine messaging can hinder their efforts. 'There has been a lot of misinformation [and] disinformation on social media,' said Dr. Philip Huang, director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department. 'On social media, you can put some of that info out there without any fact checks, and incorrect information is just as readily available as correct information.' He also attributed decreasing vaccination rates to a distrust in government and politicization over vaccinations in general. 'There are these pockets of communities that are anti-vax, and so you can get a lot of people together that aren't vaccinated, and that's the biggest … dangerous situation,' Huang said. As in Tarrant County, Huang's department has hosted informational sessions with school nurses, physicians and hospitals to make sure everyone is up to speed on measles. He has sent letters to public and private school officials who are in districts with low vaccination rates and offered to provide vaccines. Across the state line in New Mexico, which has also seen dozens of measles cases, officials are providing vaccines through free clinics. Jimmy Masters, the Southeast regional director with the New Mexico Department of Public Health, says the driving message is 'to be proactive.' His region has set up clinics not only in Lea and Eddy counties, where there are current cases, but in neighboring Chaves County. Residents are encouraged to check their vaccination status if they are unsure whether they ever received a dose of the MMR vaccine. New Mexico has administered nearly twice as many MMR vaccines as last year. In the past six weeks, there have been nearly 10,000 doses given, compared with about 5,300 in the same time frame last year. Primary care physicians can also play a key role in getting ahead of the measles outbreak by addressing questions and concerns directly with patients and families. 'We have a number of parents today who have concerns about all the vaccines their children receive. We'd recommend they talk to their primary care physician,' Tarrant County's Jones said. Some pediatricians – both in counties that have reported cases and in those that haven't – are reaching out to families directly to raise their awareness of the ongoing outbreak and encourage them to get their children vaccinated. 'I think it's very important for all of us – and especially on an individual level – to continue to be the voice of truth, if you will, but also the voice of strength and endurance and commitment to our families and our children in Texas,' Dr. Ana Montanez, a pediatrician in Lubbock, said at the briefing Thursday. Learning about how many vaccinations had been administered in New Mexico bolstered her determination to continue the work she's been doing to keep her patients and their families safe. 'That extra effort is being made, and there is a difference that is coming out from that, although it may be small and tied up in little experiences,' she said. 'But it is making a difference.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fears of US public health crises grow amid falling vaccination rates
Plummeting immunization rates, outbreaks of once-vanquished childhood diseases, and the appointment of a vocal vaccine skeptic as health secretary have US experts sounding the alarm about a looming public health crisis. Since the start of the year, nearly 100 cases of measles have been reported in Texas and neighboring New Mexico, raising fears that the highly contagious and potentially serious illness is making a comeback. "The measles is the canary in the coal mine," warned leading pediatrician and immunologist Paul Offit, highlighting the decline in vaccination rates since the Covid-19 pandemic. Amid growing distrust of health authorities and pharmaceutical companies, more parents are opting not to vaccinate their children. The proportion of preschool-aged children vaccinated against measles -- which is mandatory -- has dropped nationally from 95 percent in 2019 to less than 93 percent in 2023. Some regions show even steeper declines, such as Idaho, where rates have fallen below 80 percent. Experts warn that this trend could worsen under the leadership of newly appointed Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly questioned vaccine safety and promoted misinformation. "It is a disaster waiting to happen, and it will happen," Offit told AFP. - Religious exemptions - In Louisiana, whooping cough has resulted in the deaths of two children, according to local media. As with measles, experts attribute the resurgence to vaccine exemptions. "This is already happening. Our immunization rates are already low enough that vulnerable children are getting these diseases," said Jennifer Herricks, a scientist and board member of the nonprofit Louisiana Families for Vaccines, in an interview with AFP. Across much of the country, parents can opt out of mandatory vaccinations for reasons beyond medical contraindications. Many states allow exemptions on religious grounds, while others permit "philosophical" objections -- or both. "In Texas, you can just, pretty much say, I object," explained Terri Burke of the Texas-based Immunization Partnership. The recent measles cases have been reported in a Texas county with a large Mennonite population -- a conservative Christian sect. The situation is reminiscent of the 2019 measles outbreak, which saw more than 1,200 cases, primarily among unvaccinated Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and New Jersey. While the reasons behind these exemptions vary -- ranging from religious beliefs and fear of side effects to distrust in health authorities or difficulties accessing health care -- there is an undeniable trend linked to a "pandemic backlash," said Richard Hughes, a health policy expert at George Washington University. - Legislative offensives - Mixed messaging on masking, frustration over lockdowns and Covid vaccine mandates -- some of which remained in place long after it was clear the shots didn't fully prevent transmission -- have eroded public trust, he said. "We might have done better by just continuing to encourage people to be vaccinated than requiring it," Hughes added. But any missteps were amplified by an overwhelming spread of misinformation, which thrived in the era of social media and podcasts. These factors have turned vaccinations into a flashpoint in America's culture wars. Across the country, lawmakers are introducing bills aimed at either enshrining vaccine mandates at the local level, banning certain types of vaccines, or expanding exemptions. The number of such bills has more than doubled compared to pre-Covid levels, said Herricks, who tracks the issue nationally. Notable shifts include Montana's decision to halt vaccination statistics and Louisiana's cessation of vaccine promotion -- both signs of the growing marginalization of a practice that was once a cornerstone of public health policy. According to Offit, Americans may soon face a harsh reality check. Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, the disease sickened an estimated three to four million Americans annually and killed hundreds. It was declared eliminated in the United States by 2000, thanks to widespread immunization. "People don't realize how sick and dead that virus can make you," he said. cha/ia/jgc
