| Howdy Y'all, here's the talk from TIP. This is The Immunization Partnership's newsletter, The Upshot. In it we talk about policy, community engagement, and education, and feature our allies as well as the most recent and salient news about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. |
|
|
| Message from our Executive Director, Terri Burke |
| When I joined TIP more than three years ago, members of our Scientific Advisory Council warned me that a measles epidemic was imminent. They said, “just wait until late winter or early spring.” Yet, it didn’t happen in 2022, 2023, or even 2024. I believed them. The evidence was undeniable: non-medical exemption rates were rising across Texas. Parents could exempt their kids from one or more vaccines with no questions asked, citing philosophical, religious, or conscientious objections. |
|
|
| And now, the epidemic is here. As of this morning, 124 people have contracted measles in the region, with 18 children hospitalized, and one child has died from the disease. Gaines County, southwest of Lubbock, where the outbreak began, started the 2023-2024 school year with a 13.6% exemption rate for K-12 students. One school district in that county, Loop ISD, has a staggering 46% exemption rate. State health data reveals that over the past decade, the number of non-medical exemptions has almost tripled – from 44,000 exemptions in 2015 for at least one school-required vaccine to over 118,000 in 2024. We worry because exemptions cluster in neighborhoods, schools, and faith communities. The first measles cases were diagnosed just 15 days into our Legislative Session, yet lawmakers have already introduced six bills aimed at making the exemption process even easier. Many of these legislators represent districts where exemption rates are already average or lower, wasting political capital on a bill that serves only a small minority of their constituents. On the other hand, parents of medically vulnerable children—who cannot receive vaccinations—are deeply concerned. Those are the children we focus on when visiting lawmakers. Our Scientific Advisory Council Members, who have witnessed the devastation of these diseases firsthand, share their painful stories with us. And when they can’t join us in Austin, we carry their voices with us. Now, we face the stories of 124 children from the South Plains. Our TIP Day at the Capitol is April 1 (read about it here). We hope you will join us to raise your voices to say we respect parents’ rights to guide their children’s lives; however, vaccines give us all the freedom to live, to go to work, and to go to school without the fear of preventable disease. We need your help to spread that message to your neighbors and to your elected representatives. |
| | |
|
| TIP Responds to West Texas Measles Outbreak It began with one. A single case of measles, confirmed on January 29, 2025, in a child from Gaines County. The next day, another—an unvaccinated school-aged child from the same county. Both were hospitalized in Lubbock as the virus spread. As of today, measles has reached 18 counties and impacted 124 Texans. The Immunization Partnership is the only organization in Texas dedicated to restoring trust in vaccines through education and public engagement. Since the outbreak began, TIP has worked closely with health officials in South Plains and Lubbock. We developed resources to help families recognize measles symptoms. We amplified public health messaging by promoting health department phone numbers and a drive-thru vaccination center in the South Plains, reaching out to more than 70 reporters and media outlets. All of this work was done in alignment with our mission to safeguard community health. Your commitment fuels our rapid response and collaboration with local health officials, enabling us to bring clear, fact-based information to the communities we serve. The West Texas outbreak is a wake-up call. Texas schoolchildren deserve the freedom to learn in a safe, healthy environment—freedom that only vaccines secure by preventing outbreaks and keeping schools open. As the West Texas outbreak illustrates, that freedom isn’t automatic. It depends on Texans choosing responsibility over rhetoric. |
| |
|
| TIP Board/Scientific Advisory Council Members at the Texas Capitol TIP has been a presence at the Texas Capitol since opening day of the 89th Legislature on January 14th. We visited lawmakers at the start of the new session to talk about immunization bills submitted during the pre-filing period and the progress those bills would either help or hinder. On February 3rd, members of TIP’s Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Council traveled to Austin to talk with their lawmakers as concerned constituents who prioritize sound immunization policies for children, families, and communities. The group also told their stories to staff of key Senate committee members whose decisions will affect the trajectory of public health in our state.   In mid-February, TIP welcomed new members to the Texas Legislature with information and resources about the importance of elevating vaccination rates and decreasing the number of non-medical exemptions from school required vaccines. At the time of these legislative visits, the current measles outbreak had just started, and many offices did not know about the circumstances in Gaines County. TIP took the opportunity to educate new members about existing non-medical exemption rates in affected communities and the consequences of serious vaccine preventable diseases such as measles. TIP later delivered newsletters to the offices of all Texas House and Senate members to alert them to the unfolding situation in the South Plains region of the state. |
|
|
| Support Kids’ Health on TIP's Day at the Capitol on April 1st Join The Immunization Partnership on April 1 for TIP's Day at the Capitol, a day dedicated to protecting routine childhood immunizations and keeping our communities safe from vaccine-preventable diseases. This event offers a powerful opportunity to engage directly with lawmakers, share your passion for public health, and collaborate with fellow advocates committed to prioritizing kids’ health over politics. During TIP Day, participants will: -
Advocate for strong immunization policies: Speak with state legislators to ensure that childhood immunizations remain a top priority. -
Network with public health champions: Connect with like-minded advocates dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of Texas communities. -
Collaborate for lasting impact: Contribute to a collective effort that has been making a significant difference over the years. There's more on the horizon. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter (X) over the next month to discover additional exciting TIP activities planned for early April at the Capitol and ways you can get involved to drive change for a healthier Texas. Register for TIP's Day. |
|
|
| Vaccine News Public health is always top of mind for TIP. Here are some of the top stories from the past two months: -
"The American Public Health Association, representing 25,000 professionals in that field, has come out against [RFK, Jr.'s] nomination, based on his 'consistent disregard for scientific evidence.'" -
In Gaines County, which lies between Lubbock and Midland and west of Abilene, a measles outbreak is taking place. The number of cases and hospitalized children continues to grow as the outbreak spreads to neighboring counties. - In 2000, measles was officially eliminated from the U.S. In 2024, the U.S. reported hundreds of cases.
|
| |
|
| | Policy TIP and the 89th Texas Legislature  The 89th Legislature convened Jan. 14 and as of this writing, 47 pieces of immunization-related legislation have been filed. TIP is closely monitoring these bills and resolutions and has noticed some trends: Non-medical exemptions Multiple bills contain provisions that seek to make obtaining exemptions from school-required vaccines for reasons of conscience, including religious belief, much easier. In fact, these bills would make vaccine exemption forms publicly available online, in public schools, and even in school nurses’ offices. Exemptions from school-required vaccines could then become a matter of convenience, which is not what the law envisioned. Decision-making shift about school immunization requirements Currently, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) takes evidence-based recommendations from national public health authorities like the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and establishes rules for school immunization requirements. There are now legislative proposals that would sideline the authority of DSHS to adopt these rules and instead place decision-making in the hands of legislators, effectively ensuring short-term political gains at the expense of long-term public health. The importance of data To help parents make informed decisions about the health and well-being of their children, bills have been filed to require the disclosure of school vaccination rates at the campus level and ensure the transparency of immunization coverage in childcare centers. Other legislation would transition the state’s immunization registry into an “opt-out” model that would offer improved insights into vaccination rates, health disparities, and potential risks for vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Stay informed with our weekly-updated bill tracker Track the latest bills with TIP's Bill Tracker. See who’s filing them, what they do, and their status. Share your thoughts and ideas with us to help advocate for stronger immunization policies. |
|
|
Community Engagement & Education  TIP Hits the Road With 'Wellness on Wheels' and Other Community Outreach The Immunization Partnership is actively engaging with communities across the region, providing educational resources and collaborating to promote public health. In December, TIP partnered with Harris County Public Health’s Wellness on Wheels initiative, bringing immunization information directly to the community. We passed out flyers, information cards and answered vaccine-related questions. At the start of the year, our team participated in a community health event hosted by Native Health Center in Houston. This multi-organization event was an opportunity to connect through conversation, share resources with other groups and introduce TIP to the Greater Houston area’s Indigenous community. Looking ahead, we are excited to continue this important work alongside diverse organizations, including upcoming events with Emancipation Park Conservancy, Suvida Healthcare and South Union Apartments. We remain committed to empowering individuals and families with the knowledge and resources to make informed health decisions. Tip of the Hat to Dr. Bottazzi In January, TIP celebrated Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, a member of our Scientific Advisory Council, and her election to the National Academy of Medicine. We were joined by members of our Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Council. It was a joyous occasion to honor her longstanding contributions in her field of medicine and the impact that it has on public health. Workshops and Presentations TIP gave a presentation to the Foundation for Teen Health on HPV in January. |
|
|
| | Upcoming Events - Coffee & Conversation for Aging Adults at South Union Apartments on March 7th, 2025, at 11 am
- Coffee & Conversation for Aging Adults at Suvida East Houston on March 20th, 2025, at 1 pm
- TIP's Day at the Capitol on April 1, 2025, in Austin
- Coffee & Conversation for Aging Adults at Native Health Center on April 12th, 2025, from 10 am - 2 pm
|
|
|
| | The Immunization Partnership advocates for disease prevention using an impactful network of vaccine champions who promote education and evidence-based public policy on the health benefits of childhood and adult vaccinations. TIP aspires to be the trusted resource for increasing immunization rates to create healthier communities. |
| |
|
| 281-400-3689 | P.O. Box 346, Houston, TX 77001 |
|
| |
|
|
