The Texas Department of Health and Human Services is facing a public health crisis as a result of federal funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration. The state’s free measles vaccine clinics in Dallas County have been shut down, leaving dozens of people without access to vital vaccinations.
According to Dr. Philip Huang, director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department, the closure of clinics has resulted in the cancellation of over 50 vaccination events at local schools. This comes as Texas is dealing with a growing measles outbreak, with nearly 422 cases reported so far, including 42 hospitalizations and one child death.
The majority of cases involve children who are not vaccinated or have unclear vaccination status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there are nearly 500 measles cases nationwide, though this number is likely an undercount due to reporting delays.
The funding cuts were made after the White House announced it would no longer allocate money to community health centers, which had previously used pandemic funds to support non-COVID-related public health initiatives. The move has left Texas and other states scrambling to cope with the increased demand for measles vaccinations.
Source: https://www.newser.com/story/366548/as-measles-makes-inroads-in-texas-vaccine-clinics-close.html