BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Medical professionals across Texas are observing a concerning trend: a decrease in the number of kindergarteners complying with state-mandated measles vaccinations.
A new report indicates that approximately 44% of kindergarteners statewide are not meeting vaccination requirements.
The decline in measles vaccination rates has been ongoing since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
While Brazos County has not reported any measles cases, Aaliyah Thomas, an epidemiologist at Brazos County Health District, noted a slight annual decrease in MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine recipients among four to five-year-old children.
Since January, only 64 kindergarteners received their MMR vaccine at the Brazos County Health District.
Thomas emphasized the importance of vacci