# First Measles death in Texas - Feb, 2025, and now in other parts of the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 26, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834 "2025-02-26T16:56:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/281 "2025-04-25T05:38:20Z")
I was just feeling sorry for them. I have to say I’m more concerned with Mega-churches than Amish. Because there’s way more of them. I can count at least 6 around here. Lots of children involved in them. But, Pre-K public schools are still required to have a full immunization card. We’ll see how that continues. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/282 "2025-04-25T06:09:35Z")
The Amish do not prohibit vaccines, but they generally do not take them unless they are in a place where they are required to do so (off-farm employment or public school attendance is the most common reason). I grew up with several families who had a child with a disability caused by prenatal rubella, usually deafness. That does not have to happen now. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/283 "2025-04-25T14:12:13Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Fringe religious communities _deserve_ a considerable share of blame for outbreaks of dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases. I absolutely agree. Don’t see why they would get a pass for doing the exact same thing as the big mega churches or non-religious people. It’s just as dangerous to their children and the people they come into contact with. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/284 "2025-04-25T15:08:02Z")
They are like the ultra orthodox Jews – they don’t prohibit vaccines, but they are insular, and vaccines are offered by people outside their world, whom they may not fully trust. A marketine camppaign, highlighting the importance of vaccines to the health of the community, that aimed at convincing rabbis and other trusted community leaders, worked to stop the epidemic among the affected Jewish community. I am pretty sure a similar campaign could work for the Amish, too, because funadmentally, they aren’t crazy and they do want their kids to be healthy. There are just more barriers for them to get vaccinated than for most people. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/285 "2025-04-25T21:48:13Z")
Two different Cybertrucks today, no pictures but the first was matte black. As if attempting to hide what it is, or at least not attract attention. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/286 "2025-04-25T21:57:51Z")
I absolutely believe they should all be vaccinated. I wasn’t wanting them to have a pass on that. There’s many more Mega-churches who are militant about Trump and his policies. Several have private schools associated with them. That loads of kids to spread virus in common areas and public places. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/287 "2025-04-25T22:12:31Z")
Wrong thread? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/288 "2025-04-25T23:09:05Z")
Yeah, definitely. Not sure how that ended up in here. Might have had something to do with the Percocet I had recently taken to relive back pain. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/289 "2025-04-25T23:27:49Z")
If anyone here is in Muscatine County, Iowa, or knows someone who is, a clinic there is offering free measles vaccines, no income or insurance questions asked, for the time being. Further information is in the link. (No known cases reported in this region, not yet anyway.) [https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/trinity-muscatine-measles-vaccine-residents-how-to-sign-up/526-0616bc95-a88e-4ce5-b554-e89ceba29bd7](https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/trinity-muscatine-measles-vaccine-residents-how-to-sign-up/526-0616bc95-a88e-4ce5-b554-e89ceba29bd7) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/290 "2025-05-01T16:28:22Z")
For those of us in Illinois, today’s IDPH update: > **[Public Health Officials Confirm Two Measles Cases in Cook County](https://dph.illinois.gov/resource-center/news/2025/april/release-20250430.html)** NOT considered an outbreak. But yeah not great news. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/291 "2025-05-01T17:54:06Z")
One of those cases sounds like someone who, possibly, worked at O’hare. This should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/292 "2025-05-01T19:17:30Z")
Of course if the carrier who gave it to the O’Hare worker passed it along to them while in O’Hare, that suggests that same carrier interacted with a LOT more people than just this one worker. Assuming the typical hub transfer itinerary, the carrier would have interacted with passengers and workers at their source airport, passengers and workers aboard the flight that took them to O’Hare, passengers and workers at O’Hare, passengers and workers aboard the flight that took them from O’Hare, and finally passengers and workers at their destination airport. Add in a stay at a resort or convention or even Grandma’s house for some days then a return trip the same way and we get lots of yummy unattributable spreading opportunities. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/293 "2025-05-01T19:20:38Z")
Scary, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/294 "2025-05-02T23:18:17Z")
In the meantime, at least one case was identified in Marion, Illinois, which is near Carbondale in the southern part of the state. That was one an adult, and kinda sorta hit home for me because I lived there briefly some years back. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/295 "2025-05-02T23:54:38Z")
According to the [_Metropolis Planet_](https://www.metropolisplanet.com/news/idph-confirmed-marion-measles-case-not-considered-outbreak/article_304fff63-bfe4-58a1-bd0b-17e7235bf5c0.html) (great newspaper name), “The (measles) advisory details a few known exposure locations between April 7 and April 15, all in Marion. They include Don Sol Restaurant, Legacy Fitness, Walmart, Kroger, Wonder Wash Laundry, Easy Coin Laundry and Small Star Laundry, as well as the unidentified clinic where the patient sought care.” Thankfully, the notification doesn’t mention the prison, which is what I associate Marion with. Contagious disease outbreaks in prisons can be especially bad. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/296 "2025-05-03T01:06:28Z")
@Qadgop_the_Mercotan would be the one to ask about prisoners and vaccines. I do remember when the COVID shots first came out and had extremely short shelf lives after they were thawed, and some dosages intended for a nursing home weren’t used, due to some red tape, and they were instead taken to a jail, whose staff physician authorized them for anyone who wanted them. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/297 "2025-05-03T01:16:45Z")
Not sure if this has been posted here, but measles has now gone from technically eliminated to being on a path to become endemic. Glad to see dipshits get their way and prove that catching it is the best way to get future resistance. Fucking morons. > [@Could RFK Jr. Really Become HHS Secretary? {Yes, he did}](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-rfk-jr-really-become-hhs-secretary-yes-he-did/1009451/187): > > We went from measles being technically eliminated to now on a path to becoming endemic. Good think we have RFK Jr at the helm. > > [The U.S. is approaching a dangerous measles precipice, scientists say](https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2025-04-25/u-s-on-track-to-lose-measles-population-immunity) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/298 "2025-05-03T01:43:22Z")
In our prison system in Wisconsin, we all worked very hard to get as many of our patients vaccinated as quickly as possible. As far as COVID vaccine goes, despite generalized inmate distrust of prison staff we did end up with a higher inmate vaccination rate than the rate of vaccination for Wisconsin citizens overall. Our nurses did a fantastic job educating and encouraging our patients, along with taking care of those who became ill. Our death rate for infected patients was also significantly lower than the death rate for the state’s non-incarcerated covid patients. It was a horrible time but my staff did their duty and went above and beyond it to see those in our care. But for other vaccines, ie flu, tetanus, diptheria, pertussis, Hep A and B, pneumonia, and even HPV the rates of vaccine acceptance were lower than for the non-incarcerated folks. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/299 "2025-05-03T01:47:15Z")
Thanks, QtM! I suspected that immunization was not mandatory for prisoners, at least in most places, although I can understand why it would be highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/300 "2025-05-03T01:48:23Z")
Doesn’t hurt to be protected from diphtheria either, although I can’t think of the last time I’ve heard of a case in the U.S. I’m sure they do crop up occasionally. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834.md?page=16)