A child is dead from measles.

5 things on my mind and answers to your questions

A little child is dead. From measles. In the United States. In 2025. They were unvaccinated and otherwise healthy, making it the first casualty of the West Texas measles outbreak—and the first measles death in the U.S. in a decade. One death from a preventable disease is one too many.

Here are five things on my mind, followed by your questions answered. (We’re getting a lot! Keep ’em coming.)

Five key takeaways as this outbreak unfolds

1. This didn’t happen randomly. West Texas has pockets of alarmingly low MMR vaccination rates. In the area where this outbreak began, one in five children is unvaccinated. Measles spreads like wildfire in unprotected communities—it’s the most contagious virus on earth. On average, one infected person will spread it to 12–18 unvaccinated people.

2. Measles is not just a rash. While many children recover from measles, some die of pneumonia caused by the virus. Measles can also lead to deafness and brain damage, and it can wipe out a huge fraction of immune memory to other diseases, like the flu, leading to an increase in all-cause deaths years later. The risks of infection far outweigh the risks of the vaccine, as the New York Times shows beautifully below.

Source: New York Times

3. Social media is full of falsehoods—including from the HHS Secretary himself. Today, Secretary Kennedy briefly addressed the outbreak, but we caught three major inaccuracies:

   1. Yes, this is an unusual year. RFK Jr. incorrectly said there’s “nothing unusual; we have measles outbreaks every year.” First, there’s nothing normal about a child dying from measles. Also, this year’s tally has already surpassed 8 out of the past 15 years’ annual measles counts. (See graph below.) We are only 1.5 months into 2025. Finally, we have only had 4 outbreaks with more than 100 cases in the past 10 years. West Texas is now on the list. Instead, Kennedy should publicly state his support for MMR vaccines. (Which he hasn’t.)

   2. Those hospitalized are due to troubled breathing, not quarantining like he incorrectly said. None of the hospitalized cases are vaccinated.

   3. There has been one death so far. He incorrectly said there have been two deaths. I don’t know how you get that wrong.

4. To every West Texas parent getting their child vaccinated now: You are making the right choice. It’s never too late to change your mind, and there’s no shame in doing so. You’re protecting your child and your community, and we appreciate you.

5. This outbreak isn’t over. We’re at 124 cases in 33 days. We don’t yet know how large it will get, but the “force of infection” is strong. For reference, the last major U.S. measles outbreak (New York, 2019) hit 1,000+ cases. This could be worse, but thanks to vaccination, behavioral shifts, and the tireless work of public health teams, it’s not spreading as fast as it could.

---

Your questions, answered

I’m getting a lot of questions from you, so here are some answers:

1. I am seeing on social media that this outbreak was caused by the vaccine. Is that correct? Is there a kernel of truth?

   The MMR vaccine is a live attenuated virus vaccine, but a measles outbreak has never started from one. (Also, people cannot “shed” the virus from the vaccine.) In this outbreak, patients are infected with the D8 genotype, which proves the vaccine didn’t cause it because the vaccine is an A genotype.

2. How much can the rest of us in the family, who are fully vaccinated, carry the virus home to my vulnerable child if we are in a hot spot? How well does masking protect him?

   Breakthrough infections are rare: 1–3% of fully vaccinated individuals may get mild measles if exposed. They are much less likely to spread it to others. N95 masks help prevent airborne transmission, though measles can also spread through eye exposure. If I had an immunocompromised child, I’d mask in hotspots and avoid crowded areas for now.

3. I have a baby who goes to daycare in Houston, and I am concerned about the measles outbreak. 

   Houston has two isolated measles cases from unvaccinated international travelers—unrelated to West Texas. There’s no need to panic, but it’s wise to check your daycare’s vaccination rates. If future outbreaks arise, the MMR vaccine can be given as early as 6 months. Talk to your pediatrician about your options.

4. Where can I find vaccination rates for schools in Texas?

   All parents should check their child’s school vaccination rates. If an outbreak occurs, this will determine how well your child is protected. Here are the latest school numbers in Texas. I would be very happy with a vaccination rate > 95%. You’ll see that there is significant variability in coverage from school to school.

4. I am traveling to West Texas for a vacation next month with my 5-week-old son. Do I need to cancel?

   If your flight is flexible, I would wait to see how this unfolds. If the trip were today, I wouldn’t go.

5. Do we know how the first patients in Texas became infected? Was it just exposure to an asymptomatic person?

   The index case is an unvaccinated child, but measles doesn’t just “show up” because we eliminated it in the mid-2000s. It’s typically from an international traveler, but it’s unclear at the moment. We may never know.

6. On Monday, you suggested that. “If you were born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968, getting another dose is a good idea. You got an older vaccine that used an inactivated virus, which doesn’t work as well.” Is that backed by CDC?

   Yes, you can find that right here! About mid-page.

7. We did not vaccinate our daughter when they were younger. We want to move forward with getting them fully vaccinated but I am struggling to find good information and health care professionals seem uncomfortable when I bring it up in person. I have felt increasingly concerned as I have watched measles cases increase in other states. Should we start with the MMR vaccine or something else? Does their immune system need time to recover from those illnesses before getting a vaccine?

   I’m so glad to hear that you’re ready to move forward with vaccinating your child! And I’m sorry you’ve encountered barriers to finding good information and healthcare professionals who can support you in getting them caught up.

   
   Several important vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, protect teenagers’ health. Connecting with a trusted healthcare professional who can guide you through the process and address your questions is essential—these are important and common concerns.

   
   As for waiting until they recover from illness before getting vaccinated, this is a common worry among parents. Fortunately, the immune system is incredibly capable of handling multiple challenges at once. In fact, it encounters and responds to countless germs daily. For minor illnesses, like a mild cold, there’s no need to delay vaccination—it remains just as safe and effective. Their immune system is also safely able to handle multiple vaccines at once as you get them caught up!

---

Bottom line

Measles is surging, and with it comes unnecessary suffering—even death. Vaccines have been victims of their success, and this outbreak directly illustrates the consequences of declining vaccination rates. Unfortunately, we will move backward before moving forward again. RFK Jr. is not helping.

Love, YLE

---

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Dr. Jetelina is also a senior scientific consultant to a number of non-profit organizations. YLE reaches over 340,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: