Texas is facing one of its most significant measles outbreaks in recent years, with 762 reported cases. According to the Texas Medical Association (TMA), over 94% of those affected were not vaccinated against the disease.
“Giving your child a vaccine is an act of love. It’s one of the simplest, safest ways to protect them from serious harm,” said Lindy McGee, MD, chair of the TMA Committee on Child and Adolescent Health and a Houston pediatrician.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is mandatory for children attending public schools in Texas, although exemptions exist for medical or personal reasons. Physicians emphasize that two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. The Texas Department of State Health Services recommends administering the first dose between 12 and 15 months old and the second dose at ages four to six. A full list of required vaccines by grade level is available from state health authorities.
Vaccinating eligible children also helps protect individuals who cannot be vaccinated or have weakened immune systems. “When we’re thinking about vaccinating, we are also thinking about protecting a newborn baby or a child who has acute leukemia and is undergoing treatment and their immune system isn’t working well,” Dr. McGee said.
The TMA Foundation provides grants for initiatives such as Vaccines Defend What Matters, which supports vaccination campaigns, education efforts, and outreach across Texas. One grant recipient is Lirios Pediatrics in Austin, a free clinic for uninsured children that offers back-to-school immunization clinics.
Pediatrician Claire Hebner, MD, co-founder and medical director of Lirios Pediatrics, noted that most families visiting her clinic seek vaccinations for their children: “Our [patient] population wants to go to school, and they have oftentimes seen diseases these vaccines prevent, so they want their children to be healthy,” she said.
Dr. McGee shared her experience treating severe infectious diseases before certain vaccines were available: “Seared in my brain is a moment from residency where I watched a teenager suffer with meningococcal disease,” she recalled. She described how quickly the disease can cause damage even under intensive care. The meningococcal vaccine can now prevent most bacterial meningococcal infections.
Both Drs. Hebner and McGee agree that vaccination remains the best way to keep children healthy. “I’ve been a pediatrician for 25 years. The biggest thing I can do to protect and promote health in kids is vaccinate. There’s nothing that’s more effective,” Dr. Hebner said.
“I went into pediatrics because I am passionate about disease prevention … I would prefer to prevent rather than treat these terrible diseases and not see families suffer when their children are sick,” Dr. McGee added, calling vaccines “the most effective way” to defend against diseases.
Parents seeking information on recommended vaccines can visit TMA’s Vaccines Defend What Matters webpage for resources.
