AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas Department of State Health Services has flagged measles exposures in Central Texas following an infected person’s trip in mid-February. This person was visiting from Gaines County, the epicenter of an outbreak that has infected 90 people so far.
Of those infected, DSHS said only five cases were vaccinated. The rest are unvaccinated or their status is unknown.
According to the World Health Organization, two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles – one of the world’s most contagious diseases.
If more than 95% of a community is vaccinated, then people will generally be protected through herd immunity, according to the CDC.
However, the CDC reported that vaccination rates among kindergarteners have been falling. In 2020, the vaccination rate among kindergartners was 95.2%, which dropped to 92.7% in 2024.
In Texas, 94.35% of kindergartners were vaccinated for measles in the 2023-2024 school year, according to DSHS, but rates vary by school district.
For example, in Gaines County’s largest school district, Seminole ISD, only 82% of kindergarteners during the 2023-2024 school year were vaccinated for measles.
Central Texas School Districts
Austin ISD’s vaccination rate is also low compared to the state average – around 84% of AISD kindergartners had the MMR vaccine during the 2023-2024 school year. During the same time frame, 95% of San Marcos CSID kindergartners and 97% of Hays CISD kindergartners had been vaccinated for measles.
DSHS has a breakdown of vaccination rates for all Texas school districts on its website.
