Bexar County measles vax rate falls below herd immunity
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The fight against infectious diseases like the flu and measles is getting harder, with sinking vaccination rates for children in the San Antonio area and in many parts of the U.S., per new data collected and analyzed by the Washington Post.
The big picture: Bexar County is one of hundreds in which vaccination rates for school-age children have already declined, and confusion over vaccination schedules could further impact figures.
- On Monday, the Trump administration reduced its recommended childhood vaccines list from 17 to 11, with flu among those cut.
Zoom in: Kindergartners' measles vaccination rates across Texas are well below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity.
- Bexar County's rate is 94.7%, per the Post data.
Between the lines: The measles vaccine is still recommended and required for school, but parents can request exemptions — and a growing number of Bexar families are opting out.
Flashback: The Texas Department of State Health Services declared the West Texas measles outbreak over in August, after several months and 762 confirmed cases.
- While Gaines County — which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state at 77.3% — was the epicenter, an infected person traveled through multiple tourist attractions in San Antonio, heightening local concern.
- One outbreak-related case was later confirmed in Bexar County.
The bottom line: The new figures offer stark evidence of the extent of the backlash that began during the COVID pandemic against public health mandates.