Tarrant County is getting ready for a measles outbreak.
No cases have been reported in the county since an outbreak began in West Texas in January. Across three states, more than 250 people have tested positive for the virus that hasn't seen an epidemiological outbreak since the 1990s.
But Russ Jones, chief epidemiologist for Tarrant County Public Health, said that might change.
Jones briefed the Tarrant County Commissioners Court Tuesday on preparation for possible measles outbreaks. He said vaccination rates among children in the county are reassuring, but public health officials still can't say there won't be infections.
He said the health department is working with partner organizations like hospitals and clinics to make sure they're ready in case an outbreak arrives in the area. The county has sent out public health notices, especially focusing on schools and daycare facilities, and visited hospitals.
"Hospitals, they're getting ready for the measles," Jones told commissioners.
Cook Children's Hospital is especially concerned about getting ready for potential infections, Jones said. The pediatric hospital, which is based in Fort Worth but serves communities into West Texas, is taking point on the hospital response.
The North Texas Regional Laboratory is also preparing for the virus. Jones said the lab, which handles testing for Tarrant County and others to the west, is getting ready for high-volume testing as the county's six vaccine centers stock up on inoculations.
Epidemiological outbreaks, which are characterized by widespread regional infection, were stopped by vaccines. For decades, children were given one dose of the vaccine. Jones said after an outbreak in 1989 and into the 1990s, they've been given two shots.
The vaccine is 97% effective for protecting people who receive two doses against the measles, a virus that causes a rash and fever and can result in death or symptoms that long outlive the infection.
Children across Tarrant County are largely inoculated against the virus – 91.5% of elementary-aged children in the county received the inoculation, with that figure climbing to 97% by 7th grade.
But one school in Tarrant County has less than 15% of students vaccinated.
WFAA first reported March 6 that Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy, a private school owned by evangelical megachurch Mercy Culture, has 14.29% of students vaccinated.
Landon Schott, the pastor of Mercy Culture, is proud of that distinction, he said in a video posted on Instagram.
In the video, Schott showed off a tee shirt he was given celebrating that Mercy Culture Preparatory Academy has the lowest vaccination rate in the state. He created the video while sitting at a table, saying he arrived to a meeting of the private school's board to find balloons and the shirts.
"I guess the news got ahold of it and they were trying to spin it like it was some awful thing, but I just want to congratulate all the family members of MC Prep that embrace freedom of health and they're not allowing government or science projects to effect how you live and lead your life," Schott said.
According to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 1 in 5 unvaccinated people infected with measles in the U.S. will require hospitalization.
Measles is fatal in 16.2% of cases among children younger than 5 who are unvaccinated, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Side effects of the vaccine are uncommon, Jones said. Fever-induced seizures are possible but exceptionally rare. Temporary pain or discomfort in the injection site are more likely.
But for unvaccinated people, measles can have long-lasting, sometimes life-altering complications. Complications include anything from an ear infection to brain swelling, pneumonia, seizures and death. Long-lasting symptoms are most common among children and pregnant women.
Jones said the vaccine is the best way to prevent infection and that anybody who is unsure about vaccinating their children should talk with their pediatrician.
Dr. Brian Byrd, the director of Tarrant County Public Health, said whether or not to vaccinate children is a choice parents have to make for themselves. But Byrd also said that as a doctor, he always recommends vaccination against measles and mumps.
Jones said any adult who isn't sure if they received the vaccine when they were a child can ask their doctor to do a blood test, but it would be less expensive and more efficient to just get the vaccine again.
If you think you might be infected
The most common early measles symptoms are a rash and fever.
The rash can be raised, red, patchy or blotchy, disconnected, itchy and dry. It can also feel warm to the touch. More severe symptoms include brain swelling and seizures.
Byrd said anybody who thinks they might be infected should call their primary doctor to set up testing. It's important to schedule the test and follow instructions to help reduce the risk of further spreading the virus.
County public health facilities can also run tests for measles, he said. Residents can also get the measles vaccine there.
Jones said officials with the health department are preparing educational material on how to care for someone who is infected and when to seek medical care.
Got a tip? Email James Hartley at jhartley@kera.org. You can follow James on X @ByJamesHartley.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
Copyright 2025 KERA