Fighting Measles and Anti-Vax Views in West Texas

·20 min·2 clips

Catherine Wells faces the nation's largest measles outbreak in Lubbock, Texas, where two children have already died.

The episode opens with Catherine Wells, public health director in Lubbock, Texas, describing the pressure of facing the nation's largest measles outbreak. Measles cases have surged to about 700 in the region with two child deaths, marking a significant public health crisis. Wells recounts how the outbreak first appeared on her radar in late January with two potential hospital cases, which initially seemed routine. By Monday, a report from a paramedic about measles in Gaines County, home to a large Mennonite community with vaccine hesitancy, changed everything. She instantly recognized the potential for disaster due to the virus's high contagion rate. Wells explains that measles was considered eradicated in the U.S., typically only seen from international travel, making this outbreak unprecedented in her 25-year career. She compares the response to past crises like Ebola and COVID, noting the need to dust off old literature on measles. The outbreak is centered 75 miles away in Gaines County, but Wells jumps in because Lubbock is the closest health department and can offer support. She details the initial planning with local officials, feeling a lack of backup as the CDC was in a communications blackout during the transition from the Biden to Trump administration. Wells describes the resource constraints, including layoffs and hiring freezes, and the state's limited assistance which provided staff but no direct funding. She outlines what more funding could achieve, such as call centers, robust testing, and door-to-door vaccination campaigns in the Mennonite community. The episode also covers the anti-vaccine movement's role, with groups like Children's Health Defense spreading misinformation and blaming poor medical care for the deaths. Wells feels outflanked by these groups due to a communication void and their faster speed. She shares interactions with vaccine-hesitant parents who fear injections or question the need for vaccines when diseases seem absent. A sign of hope comes from a mother who, after never vaccinating her children, brought all five in for measles shots due to the outbreak's severity. Wells reflects on the exhaustion of working three months straight and her commitment to public health despite challenges. The episode concludes with national context, noting around 935 measles cases nationwide and a tapering trend in Texas.

As heard by us

A clear account of confronting measles amid falling vaccination rates and limited local resources.

A measles outbreak centered on Lubbock, Texas, shows the strain on public health when an effective vaccine is available but vaccination rates are falling and funding is tight.

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Why you'd press play

You'll see how a Lubbock public health director builds a measles response while waiting for federal help.

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