Summary
Seminole, Texas, with a large Mennonite population, is the epicenter of a measles outbreak since January, impacting nine counties with nearly 200 cases and the nation’s first measles death in a decade.
Fuelled by “personal choice” and post-pandemic distrust, vaccine hesitancy is high. Many residents downplay the severity: “They’re just making a big deal of it.”
Even a death hasn’t driven vaccination rates up. As Dr. Parkey noted, regarding vaccination inclination, “No way. Before Covid I could convince some. Now it’s like, forget it.”
Health officials are concerned about underreporting and potential complications amid RFK Jr.’s influence and deep-seated vaccine skepticism in West Texas.
Texas has been extremely proud of their rugged individualism and independence. They actively work at handicapping their government at all levels: they hate the feds; their state legislature meets for 140 days every two years; and they actively restrict the ability of more-local governments to respond to health crises.
On the public health front, they underfund public health and health infrastructure; they’ve actively refused Medicaid expansion; they banned mask and vaccine mandates during covid; and they have extremely easy childhood vaccine exemptions. On the provider front, they have an almost complete abortion ban with vague laws on ‘allowable’ abortions that they mostly refuse to clarify, that allows them to charge people with murder, and offers a bounty for turning in anyone who’s helped with an abortion, all of which has driven away providers who care about women and children’s health.
For me, it’s like the Texas ice storms: despite repeated warnings, they’ve been extremely proud of all the conditions that lead to this situation, and they’re going to actively avoid changing anything once the situation passes. You can’t fix stupid, and I’m tired of trying.
Thoughts and prayers to the victims, and what are you planning for dinner?
Yep. Stupid does as stupid is.