Measles Outbreak Hits Lubbock Day Care, At Least 6 Children Infected

Local officials confirmed last week, Tuesday that at least six kids at a Lubbock day care center have tested positive for measles. This comes as the outbreak in Texas continues to spread.

The cases were reported at Tiny Tots U Learning Academy, which led Lubbock Public Health to update its advice on how to get vaccinated for everyone in the county. The advice comes as the number of proven measles cases in the state goes over 500, with two deaths among children.

Parents were told by health officials on Monday to speed up their children's measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shots. Babies between the ages of 6 and 11 months should now get vaccinated earlier, even though their first dose is usually given between 12 and 15 months. Also, kids 12 months and higher who have only had one dose are told to get their second dose before the normal time for kids 4 to 6 years old.

In a statement, Lubbock Public Health said, "Because cases are going up in our area, these updated guidelines are meant to protect those at highest risk right away."

Katherine Wells, the director of health, told parents to check to see if their kids have been vaccinated. "Getting a measles shot is the best way to protect yourself, especially during an outbreak," she said.

Wells told the Associated Press that the disease quickly spread after one sick child gave it to other kids in different classes. The day care takes care of more than 200 kids, and most of them have had at least one MMR shot. Wells said that some children who were only slightly vaccinated have now tested positive.

Kids who go to the day care but haven't been vaccinated are told to stay home for 21 days after their last known contact.

Wells said, "Measles is so contagious that I won't be surprised if it spreads to other buildings."

There have been more than 600 cases of measles across the country in 2024, and clusters have been confirmed in at least 21 states. The Texas outbreak has mostly hit kids and teens, and most of them had not been vaccinated or didn't know if they had been vaccinated.

Authorities in charge of health keep saying that two doses of the MMR vaccine are enough to stop you from getting the virus 97% of the time.

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