A surge of Texas parents fought measles outbreak by stepping up vaccine effort

New data from Truveta shows the percentage of 6-month-old babies in Texas getting their measles vaccine in April increased by more than 30 times the prior year’s average.

Kala Hunter did not hesitate to get her 2-year-old son, Brady, fully vaccinated in March as the number of measles cases grew in her West Texas community.

“Being in the hotbed of the measles outbreak,” said Hunter, 47, of Lubbock, “it was a no-brainer. If it was safe to get him vaccinated early, we were going to protect him.”

Harmony Montes, 21, also of Lubbock, said she felt the same way. As the outbreak escalated in April, Montes jumped at the chance to get her daughter, Melody Rocha, vaccinated at her six-month checkup. 

“We didn’t hesitate at all,” Montes said. “I wasn’t going to risk her health.”

Melody Rocha got her measles vaccination early amid a growing outbreak of the virus. Harmony MontesThe moms represent a recent surge in Texas parents opting to get their babies and toddlers the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination as soon as possible.Hunter said that her child’s doctor assured her that the second vaccine dose was safe.