January 1, West Texas Measles Outbreak Ends Quietly

Wyatt’s Take

• West Texas measles outbreak ends after eight months
• No new cases reported in over 42 days
• Media hype fizzles out as threat fades fast

The measles surge in West Texas is officially over, just eight months after headlines warned of a looming health disaster. Texans watched as the Texas Department of State Health Services (TX DSHS) gave the all-clear, noting it’s been over 42 days since a fresh case showed up anywhere the virus had spread.

Most of the more than 700 confirmed cases hit children, especially in Mennonite and nearby communities. Now, health officials say the outbreak has run its course, and there’s no need for constant updates to their special tracking dashboard.

While keeping watch for future cases, TX DSHS admits the measles threat is no longer gripping these counties. That’s good news for hardworking folks who had enough fear pushed their way early in the year.

Media outfits kept the focus on rising cases in places like Seminole, Texas, but never bothered to ask why the numbers jumped in the first place. Few wanted to talk about how four years of unchecked border crossings from places battling measles could have played a part in a Texas outbreak.

Instead, reporters pointed fingers at Texas leadership for not sounding the alarm louder. They also scolded families for not following every vaccine recommendation and attacked folks for making personal health choices.

Some stories went after religious communities with deep-rooted beliefs about vaccines and tried to link the outbreak to so-called “vaccine resistance.” But most in Middle America know these convictions go back generations, not just tied to modern politics.

Measles is contagious and dangerous for those with weaker immunity, but it never turned into the dire public health crisis foretold at the start. The media cast it as the next big disaster, but the facts never backed up that panic.

This episode showed once again how certain voices in the news trade scare tactics and blame everyday people for every new problem.

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Wyatt Matters

Stories like this remind folks in the heartland: look out for each other, trust your values, and question the hype. Truth matters more than headlines.

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