Texas Measles Outbreak Worsens Due to Vaccine Exemptions

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• Texas faces largest measles outbreak in 30 years with 124 cases
• Vaccine exemptions contribute to lower vaccination rates, making communities vulnerable
• Experts predict further spread due to falling immunity rates and anti-vax sentiments
• High vaccination coverage crucial for herd immunity and public health

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Impact of Low Vaccination Rates in Gaines County

• The epidemic in Gaines County is primarily due to low vaccination rates, not vaccine failure, as evidenced by the 80% vaccination rate in the epicenter.
• Historically, a higher percentage of the population was vaccinated, indicated by the small number of adult cases in the outbreak.
• Conscientious exemption rates in Gaines County have risen over the years, reaching 17%, contributing to the vulnerability of the population to measles.

Source

Newsweek

Impact of Anti-Vax Sentiments on Measles Outbreak Severity

• The measles outbreak severity is exacerbated by falling immunity rates caused by anti-vax disinformation, leaving a significant portion of the population vulnerable to the highly transmissible virus.
• Measles, being highly contagious, can spread rapidly in undervaccinated communities, with one infected person capable of transmitting the virus to multiple unvaccinated individuals.
• The potential fatality rate of measles, combined with low vaccination coverage due to anti-vax sentiments, poses a significant threat to both the general population and particularly to undervaccinated groups.

Source

Newsweek

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