12-04-2025
Deadly measles outbreak does little to counter vaccine scepticism in Texas
In nearby Lubbock, Texas, just two days after the news of Daisy's death, all was quiet at the health department's vaccination clinic.
Other days have been busier, with as many as 20 people coming in for vaccines, said Katherine Wells, director of public health for the city, where hospitals receive children with severe measles cases from more rural counties.
Since the outbreak began in January, the city of Seminole has vaccinated 103 adults and 143 children against the measles, Mr Holbrooks said. The neighbouring three rural counties decided to close their underused vaccine clinics and send more staff to hard-hit Seminole.
"There's always talk on, what else can we do, and are we doing enough?" Mr Holbrooks said. "We want to build trust, not tear it down."
At times, local health officials have seen progress.
A Mennonite doctor in Andrews County gained community members' trust and encouraged them to get vaccinated, said Mr Mattimoe.
"Those trusted messengers in those communities - I think that's very important," he said.
Ms Wells hopes vaccinations will start to pick up after the latest measles death and the city's new guidance to vaccinate children as young as six months, instead of one year.
The bigger city saw an outbreak at a daycare among children too young to be fully vaccinated, a situation she believes will be helped by the earlier shots.
But, "there's always going to be some people that we don't reach", Ms Wells said.
That means the virus is likely to circulate for a while in western Texas regions where people are unvaccinated, officials said.
"We're just at the beginning of it," Mr Mattimoe said. "It's going to have to run through the community. Until they get that natural immunity, it'll just keep running its course."
