City intensifies efforts to encourage vaccination amid state’s worst measles outbreak in decades

Last Thursday, Austin city leaders marked the 30th anniversary of a program that provides free vaccines to children as Texas faces its worst measles outbreak in over three decades. 

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease that can spread through coughing, sneezing and contaminated surfaces and can lead to complications such as pneumonia and swelling of the brain. These complications can be fatal in young children and elderly people.

To date, over 400 confirmed cases of measles have been reported in Texas since January, mostly among unvaccinated people, and one child has died. Meanwhile, in an atmosphere of growing vaccine hesitancy and widespread medical disinformation – even from the nation’s top health official – city officials are intensifying efforts to promote vaccine access and advocacy. 

“The Vaccines for Children Program was started 30 years ago as the country was dealing with a measles outbreak, and only ten years later the virus was deemed eradicated in the U.S.,” Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, our vaccination rates have dropped, allowing measles to rear its head again.”

Since 1994, the VFC program has worked with local partners to provide over 3 million free vaccine doses, valued at more than $215 million, to health care providers in Travis County for children who are uninsured, underinsured or covered by Medicaid. 

However, Austin is now facing a critical challenge with low vaccination rates among children.

Data from the state health department indicated that vaccination rates for kindergartners in the Austin Independent School District in 2023-24 were significantly lower than those in other major Texas districts. Only 83.7 percent of Austin ISD kindergartners were vaccinated against measles, far behind the 93.5 percent in Houston ISD, 94 percent in El Paso ISD, and 96 percent in San Antonio ISD.

This statistic marked a significant decline from just a few years ago in 2020, when 96 percent of kindergartners in AISD were vaccinated.

“APH continues to focus on areas and communities with access barriers to vaccinations – these tend to be children, the elderly and immigrants going through the immigration process,” Chris Crookham, immunizations program manager, said.

The Mobile Vaccination Program holds clinics every week at schools, senior facilities and low-income apartment complexes. In addition, the health department has two immunization clinics serving children with Medicaid and uninsured children and adults.

Austin Public Health continues to build efforts to inform the public about the safety and availability of vaccines. 

“Our educators are in the community educating the public on measles as a disease, the MMR vaccine, and addressing questions and concerns, all in an effort to build trust and encourage individuals to get vaccinated,” Crookham said. 

“It’s time for everyone to use the resources available to get vaccinated and protect our community from this virus,” Walkes said.

Check the schedule for the mobile vaccine clinic or make an appointment at an Austin Public Health immunization clinic.

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