A measles outbreak in western Texas has infected at least 58 people and left 13 hospitalized. The surge is the largest in 30 years, with health officials anticipating hundreds more cases. Gaines County, where the outbreak started, saw its share of children exempt from vaccines for religious reasons more than double in a decade, from 7% to 18%. Vaccine-choice activists are seizing on the crisis, pushing for greater “medical freedom” amid concerns about vaccine mandates.
The growing measles epidemic has raised questions about vaccination rates and government policies. While some see it as a call for increased medical autonomy, others worry about the potential consequences of widespread vaccine refusal. As the outbreak continues to spread, vaccine-choice activists are gaining momentum in Texas and beyond.
Source: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/02/20/in-texas-vaccine-choice-activists-are-ascendant