Houston's measles vaccinations fall short
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Much of Southeast Texas — including Harris, Montgomery and Galveston counties — failed to meet the herd immunity threshold for measles, with vaccination rates for kindergarteners below the 95% mark, per recent data collected and analyzed by the Washington Post.
Why it matters: Measles cases are rebounding, leaving local communities vulnerable.
State of play: Texas' herd immunity status was at 97% before the pandemic. It's since fallen to 93%.
- 95% is the vaccination rate multiple public health authorities say is necessary to contain the virus' spread.
Zoom in: Houston ISD's kindergarten vaccination coverage fell from 94.7% in the 2019–20 school year to 91.4% in 2024–25, according to state health data.
The big picture: The battle against infectious diseases like the flu and measles has taken a hit with sinking vaccination rates for children in many parts of the U.S. — stark evidence of the extent of the backlash against public health mandates that began during the pandemic.
- The decline has set the U.S. up to lose its coveted elimination status for the first time in decades.
Stunning stat: Texas health officials announced the death of an unvaccinated child in a measles outbreak in February. It was the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015.
- The outbreak in West Texas, which began early last year, resulted in more than 760 confirmed cases and two child deaths across the state.
What's next: Federal health policy is shifting.
- The Trump administration this week overhauled the childhood vaccination schedule by cutting recommended shots to 11, though the recommended list still includes measles shots.
Go deeper: Where vaccination rates declined the most, by county