The measles outbreak that started back in January has now turned Gaines County into an unlikely CDC field trip destination. Senior officials, including Demetre Daskalakis from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, showed up this week to shake hands, share meals, and prove they’re more than just an email address in Atlanta. Nothing like a little face time in Seminole to remind locals that the federal government hasn’t completely forgotten about them.
With 663 confirmed cases statewide—and a whopping 396 of them in Gaines County—the CDC says the outbreak might be “plateauing.” But don’t get too comfortable, because Easter travel and general West Texas stubbornness could crank those numbers right back up. The agency is now putting together a “tool kit” for people who don’t want the vaccine, which sounds a lot like, “So you’ve chosen poorly—here’s how not to die.”
Meanwhile, local officials rolled out a glowing press release full of thank-yous, praising everyone from Seminole ISD nurses to federal health officials. Lots of words about “compassion,” “collaboration,” and “thinking outside the box”—which is a polite way of saying, “We’ve been duct-taping this mess together since January.”
Gaines County may not have many hospitals, but at least it now has bragging rights: when measles makes a comeback, even the CDC can’t resist a road trip to West Texas.
