More than 750 measles cases have been confirmed in Texas this year, most tied to a single outbreak that began in January. If transmission continues into 2026, the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status for the first time since 2000.
Over 400 cases have been reported in Gaines County, where nearly 1 in 4 kindergartners entered school this year without the required MMR vaccine, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Dr. Jeffrey Singer, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, is available for comment. To speak with Singer on this topic, please feel free to reach out to Emily Salamon at esalamon@cato.org
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