1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

Texas is witnessing a preventable tragedy. Three children have already died from measles, and over 760 have been infected. Vaccine exemptions have doubled since 2018, exceeding 93,000, and are rising rapidly, with a 36 percent jump just this July. Some school districts are down to 77 percent vaccination rates. That is well below the 95 percent needed for herd immunity. We cannot stand by as preventable diseases reclaim ground in our state. Under RFK Jr.’s direction, vaccine safety infrastructure is collapsing. He fired all 17 CDC vaccine experts and replaced them with conspiracy-minded individuals who call vaccines “poison.” He gutted 2,400 CDC positions and stripped $11 billion in public health funding. He appointed David Geier, accused of practicing medicine without a license, to promote debunked autism theories. The result is dire: emergency rooms now treat children suffering from liver damage caused by vitamin A overdoses pushed on social media like “Instagram cures.” Former advisors warn that this recklessness is among modern memory's worst public health crises. This is a moment for action, not delay. We need you to lead with urgency: • Allocate emergency funds for vaccination outreach across schools and communities. • Tighten and enforce vaccine requirements in schools and child care programs. • Launch a statewide public information campaign that counters misinformation and centers on truth and science. The damage misinformation and debunked conspiracy theories on our state's public health will be detrimental for years and decades to come.