# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/121 "2025-03-14T22:24:42Z")
I saw a meme that said that there are more cases of measles in Texas than there are trans athletes in the U.S. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/122 "2025-03-15T00:35:42Z")
Weldon, commenting on his disappointment at not being able to serve the cause of public health as CDC Director: “I’m going to get on an airplane at 11 o’clock and I’m going to go home and I’m going to see patients on Monday…I’ll make much more money staying in my medical practice.” 😆 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/123 "2025-03-15T15:52:39Z")
Better hope his patient base doesn’t include a high percentage of Medicaid/Medicare patients, then… ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/124 "2025-03-15T16:24:15Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I had measles and mumps when I was young. Yes, I’m an old guy. Parents would take children to visit an infected friend so their kid would catch the disease and develop immunity. What changed? I was given to understand those diseases may be fatal to adults, but not to children. Of course it is stupid not to vaccinate children, but what changed? I don’t recall any of my childhood friends dying of measles. Back in the day, some parents hosted _“chicken pox parties”_ so their kids would catch the disease early, when it’s typically less severe, and then develop immunity for life. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that for measles, though—that’d be pretty stupid, given how much more dangerous measles can be. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/125 "2025-03-15T16:38:11Z")
> **[Girl, 6, ‘just kept getting sicker’ from measles](https://eedition.expressnews.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=d9be1f99-d450-4ee1-a567-c84bbbb08a1c&share=true)** > > Girl, 6, ‘just kept getting sicker’ from measles > A child who died of complications of measles in a West Texas outbreak of the virus was just 6 years old, according to her father, who spoke with The Atlantic. > > The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Feb. 26 that an unvaccinated child had died due to complications of measles at a hospital in Lubbock after testing positive for the virus. It is the first death in the outbreak, which as of today’s update has spread to 223 cases in Texas and 30 just across the border in New Mexico. > > … > > A local hospital sent them home with cough medicine, Peter said: “They don’t want to help us. They say, ‘It’s just normal; go home.’” The hospital declined to comment, The Atlantic reported. > > She continued to get worse and the family took her back to a hospital, where her heart rate and blood pressure dropped and she was placed on a ventilator. The girl died of pneumonia, which the CDC identifies as the most common cause of death for children who contract measles. “C’mon, people, it’s just one kid, for Pete’s sake. More than one will die from the vaccine!” /s\* * * * \*Bitter sarcasm ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/126 "2025-03-15T17:35:52Z")
I’m bitter too. Those parents should be charged with child abuse. It’s pure and simple willful neglect of the poor kid. She died because her parents were ignorant and trying to make a political point. 😡 ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/127 "2025-03-15T18:15:11Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > trying to make a political point. I do not believe that in and under-immunized Old Order Mennonites are trying to make political points, except by some expansive use of the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/128 "2025-03-15T18:25:16Z")
Measles kills around 1 in 1000 victims, but virulent outbreaks are more likely in Western countries and the CDC says this can be as high as 3 in 1000. Pertussis kills almost 100,000 people each year, mostly babies. Vaccination was prominent in almost every country except for two. The Gates Foundation has been wonderful in this regard. I suspect USAID dysfunction will affect this considerably. Up to 20% of measles infections are complicated. The worst complications are things like brain damage due to swelling. This can be prevented by vaccination. Steroids and vitamin A show a small benefit in some studies but are no substitute for prevention. There is no effective treatment for tetanus to my knowledge. When something basic like strep throat has long been known to cause kidney dysfunction (glomerulonephritis), neurological dysfunction (PANDAS) and heart problems up to twenty years later, though kidney problems are usually transient. Most people know chicken pox virus can cause shingles, which leads to years of pain in 10% of patients. Yet people still think getting a disease strengthens your immune system. You do not want your immune system to be so strong it causes complications in itself. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/129 "2025-03-15T19:28:57Z")
More good news!!! (Limited gift link.) > **[The World’s Deadliest Infectious Disease Is About to Get Worse](https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/03/tuberculosis-death-usaid-trump/682062/?gift=FNE9XeXXKzu6Z_8urufLLhojnNmMZx0oJ58GWVkww8w&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share)** > > By retracting foreign aid, President Trump could make tuberculosis untreatable again. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/130 "2025-03-15T19:32:14Z")
Like I keep saying, smallpox is next! Oh boy! ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/131 "2025-03-15T20:32:42Z")
Or, something completely unknown. Aaaaccckk. I just scared myself thinking about zombie apocalypse!! ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/132 "2025-03-15T20:35:38Z")
Back while COVID was in full swing, I recall joking about “COVID-24: The Final Edition”. Other than changing “24” to “27” to allow time for the complete dismantlement of US public health systems, I think I may have made a pretty good prediction. 😰 ---
**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:** [March 15, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/133 "2025-03-15T20:46:54Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Yet people still think getting a disease strengthens your immune system. You do not want your immune system to be so strong it causes complications in itself. And of course, measles destroys immune system memory relating to other pathogens, making patients at risk of additional serious infections. > **[Measles and Immune Amnesia | ASM.org](https://asm.org/articles/2019/may/measles-and-immune-amnesia)** > > Measles is much more serious than a rash and fever: it also causes immune amnesia and leaves patients especially vulnerable to secondary infection. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/134 "2025-03-15T20:57:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > And of course, measles destroys immune system memory relating to other pathogens, making patients at risk of additional serious infections. This happened to me. I caught measles rubeola when I was 32. According to my PCP, it’s more serious than rubella. When he saw me, he said, “I’d say you have rubeola, but you’re not nearly sick enough.” I obliged him the next day by getting sicker than I’ve ever been. The worst headache I can ever remember having. Light sensitivity. Fever, chills, muscle aches, body aches. Bad congestion and coughing. Doc called me at home every day to learn how I was doing. The case had to be reported to our local Department of Health for tracking. I got a secondary infection in my lungs that had to be treated with antibiotics. In general, my immune system is almost too robust, but it couldn’t fight off the secondary infection. So another month of suffering. My mother was a big believer in vaccines, so I can only think she believed I’d already caught it in childhood. Whoops! I will never understand people who don’t believe in vaccines. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/135 "2025-03-16T17:23:38Z")
Vaccines are not _forever_ protection. You have to keep up with the boosters. Your kindergarten immunizations wear out. Some, more than others. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/136 "2025-03-16T22:06:14Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I caught measles rubeola when I was 32. According to my PCP, it’s more serious than rubella. > … > Doc called me at home every day to learn how I was doing. The case had to be reported to our local Department of Health for tracking. I had rubeloa when I was 8 or 9 ( I had rubella, too, but it wasn’t nearly as bad). It left me with an issue with my ears that required surgery not too long after. But what I really remember was that I had to go to the local health department office to be examined before I could return to school. Made a deep impression on me. Gosh, I really was dangerously ill. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/137 "2025-03-16T22:12:49Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Gosh, I really was dangerously ill. You were! I’m so sorry about the ear issue from it but glad surgery could fix what got broken. Really, I was very fortunate to have gotten away with so few complications catching it as an adult. Apart from the secondary infection, I suffered no aftereffects. I did, however, come to understand how a very ill person may decide they’d rather die than continue to suffer. That was new. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/138 "2025-03-16T22:14:20Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Your kindergarten immunizations wear out. Some, more than others. And some not at all. Pertinent to this thread those who developed a protective response from childhood measles immunization are considered immune for life; it is considered forever protection. Those born before 1957 highly probably are immune from childhood exposure to the disease. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/139 "2025-03-16T23:59:44Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Those born before 1957 highly probably are immune from childhood exposure to the disease. I talked about this with my nurse practitioner during my annual checkup a few days ago. Given I was born before the MMR, she thought I was likely immune, but if I was worried I could have a blood titer done to be sure. Given various ways I protect myself (masking, e.g.) and being in Massachusetts, we decided against it, at least for now. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/140 "2025-03-17T00:04:51Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > …my nurse practitioner…[snip]…she thought I was likely immune No offense, but hardly a solid medical authority. [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=6) [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=8)