[00:00:16]
WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE MEASLES OUTBREAK IN WEST TEXAS.
AND IF YOU TALK TO ANY OF THESE DOCTORS, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT UP UNTIL RECENTLY, A LOT OF DOCTORS HAD NEVER ENCOUNTERED, UH, MEASLES.
UH, CERTAINLY THOSE THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UH, HAVE BEEN PRACTICING MOST RECENTLY.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF US HAD BARELY HEARD ABOUT PRIOR TO THE, UH, 1960S, 1980S, AROUND ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE WITH MEASLES USED TO END UP HOSPITALIZED.
AND NOW MOST OF US WERE VACCINATED WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, AND THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT MEASLES.
MEASLES WAS VERY, VERY, UM, CONTAGIOUS.
AND SO I SAID THE, THE RATE OF FOLKS THAT WERE HOSPITALIZED, EACH PERSON WITH MEASLES USED TO BE ABLE TO INFECT 18 OTHER PEOPLE.
SO TO PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT, A PERSON WITH COVID USED TO INFECT ON AVERAGE THREE OTHER PEOPLE.
SO JUST IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE THERE WERE VACCINES, UH, WITH A VIRUS OF SO CONTAGIOUS.
AND THE FACT THAT WE REALLY DON'T HEAR ABOUT IT, DON'T DEAL WITH IT, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE VACCINATION EFFORTS THAT TOOK PLACE, UM, AFTER THIS AROUND THE SIXTIES AND FOR A COUPLE DECADES AFTER THAT.
SO WHAT IS MEASLES? AND, AND FOLKS HERE WILL EXPLAIN WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO LOOK FOR, UH, AND TO, TO GO TO THEIR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, BUT IT'S A VERY CONTAGIOUS RESPIRATORY DISEASE.
SO IF SOMEBODY COUGHS OR SNEEZES IN A PUBLIC SETTING, THE VIRUS ITSELF LINGERS.
THE VIRUS REMAINS ALIVE FOR UP TO TWO HOURS.
UM, AND THAT MAKES IT PARTICULARLY INFECTIOUS, UH, FOR UP TO TWO HOURS.
THAT MIGHT JUST SOUND, UM, OKAY, RESPIRATORY ISSUE.
COULD IT BE LIKE A BAD COLD OR THE FLU? WHY SHOULD WE BE WORRIED? UM, BUT IT, IT, IT CAN LEAD TO PEOPLE ONE IN FOUR GET SICK ENOUGH, THE HOSPITAL CARE, AND, UM, THERE CAN BE VERY, VERY SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS THAT THE DOCTORS CAN EXPLAIN AS WELL.
SO, WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, ON JANUARY 23RD, WE LEARNED ABOUT TWO CASES OF MEASLES IN GAINES COUNTY IN WEST TEXAS IN JUST ONE MONTH CASES JUMPED FROM TWO TO 168 CASES ACROSS NINE COUNTIES IN TEXAS AND ONE COUNTY IN NEW MEXICO.
SO, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS OUTBREAK IS IN WEST TEXAS.
IT IS NOT NORMAL TO HAVE AN OUTBREAK LIKE THAT.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SEE IN THE UNITED STATES, UH, SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN DECADES.
AND SO IN PAST, UH, PAST INSTANCES OF, OF CASES IN THE UNITED STATES, WE MAY HAVE A HUNDRED, UH, OR A COUPLE HUNDRED, BUT THEY'LL BE SPREAD OUT.
IT'S NOT A A, AN OUTBREAK WHERE THAT THAT VIRUS IS SPREADING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBER TO COMMUNITY MEMBER.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME BACK FROM TRAVELING WHO MAYBE WERE NOT VACCINATED AND, AND HAVE BROUGHT THE VIRUS, BUT THAT VIRUS DOESN'T SPREAD BECAUSE THOSE AROUND THEM ARE VACCINATED.
SO, UM, IT'S GOOD NEWS THAT THE CASES ARE STILL IN THE SURROUNDING REGION OF GAINES COUNTY, THE NEIGHBORING AREAS OF NEW MEXICO.
BUT, UM, OF COURSE, WE, WE, WE CAN BE, UH, PRETTY MUCH SURE THAT EVENTUALLY THE VIRUS IS GONNA REACH HARRIS COUNTY.
WE ALREADY HAD TWO CASES IN, IN JANUARY, AND SO WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED.
THE DATA SHOWS US, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTRACTED THE VIRUS IN THIS OUTBREAK WERE EITHER NOT VACCINATED OR OF UNKNOWN VACCINATION STATUS.
SO THAT TELLS YOU THE GOOD NEWS, WHICH IS WE HAVE A WAY TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS VIRUS.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO ACTIVE CASES IN HARRIS COUNTY, UM, AND THAT MEASLES IS A COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE DISEASE.
WE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM BECOMING A, AN, UH, ANY KIND OF, UH, EMERGENCY HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY IF WE'RE PROACTIVE AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S VACCINATED.
WE DO HAVE A VERY HIGH VACCINATION RATE, BUT WE WANT TO, UH, IF IT'S AROUND, UH, 94%, WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET LOWER THAN THAT.
WE CERTAINLY WANT IT TO GET HIGHER, SO THAT, THAT MAKES SURE WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THAT HERD IMMUNITY THAT WE NEED.
NOW, LET ME JUST BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS AND, AND I'LL CLOSE MY REMARKS SOON.
WHEN WE HEAR OUTBREAK, WE MIGHT THINK OF COVID.
UH, WE ALL HAVE THAT TRAUMA, OKAY? WE ALL LIVED THROUGH THAT AND WE'RE STRONG TO TO TO BE HERE.
BUT THIS IS NOT COVID, OKAY? THIS IS NOT THAT COVID WAS SO DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WAS A NEW VIRUS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A VACCINE, IF YOU'LL RECALL, FOR, FOR A GOOD YEAR.
WE'VE HAD A VACCINE FOR DECADES.
HOWEVER, UM, UNLIKE COVID, MEASLES, AGAIN, IS, IS A LOT MORE CONTAGIOUS.
[00:05:01]
THERE IS NOT A, A TREATMENT IN, IN THE SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID, WE NOW HAVE PAXLOVID WITH MEASLES.UH, ONCE YOU GET IT, YOU CAN ONLY TREAT THE SYMPTOMS. SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, WE, THERE'S NO REASON TO, UH, TO WORRY.
THE, THE CALL TO ACTION IS THAT, IS WE NEED TO GET VACCINATED AND JUST TAKE THAT ADDITIONAL STEP IF OUR KIDS ARE NOT VACCINATED OR IF WE OURSELVES ARE NOT.
SO WE'RE HOSTING A WEEKEND OF ACTION THIS COMING WEEKEND, AND ALL OF US HERE ARE REALLY PUSHING FOR THAT.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY, CITY OF HOUSTON, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITY WITH LEGACY, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND, AND DOING THAT PUSH FOR VACCINES.
WE HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AROUND THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE VIGILANT IN RECOGNIZING MEASLES SYMPTOMS AND FOLLOWING PROPER PROTOCOLS.
THERE ARE MOBILE IMMUNIZATION TRUCKS.
UH, THE, UM, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HERE WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN GET VACCINES IN, IN AREAS WITH LOWER VACCINATION RATES.
IF YOU WERE BORN IN THE US AFTER 1968, YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE MEASLES VACCINE.
I MEAN, REALLY AROUND THE, UH, AROUND THE, THE WORLD.
MOST COUNTRIES, THIS IS UNDER CONTROL.
UH, BUT, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, JUST CHECK WITH YOUR PROVIDER.
THEY CAN TEST TO SEE WHETHER YOU HAD THE VACCINE.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, FOR CHILDREN, ANY CHILD OVER 12 MONTHS, UH, OF AGE SHOULD BE GETTING THE VACCINE.
SO THEY SHOULD GET THE FIRST DOSE AFTER 12 MONTHS, AND THE SECOND DOSE BETWEEN AGES FOUR AND SIX.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, A WAY FOR YOU GUYS TO GET APPOINTMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, PLEASE GO TO THEM FOR THE VACCINE.
IF YOU FEEL SYMPTOMATIC, PLEASE GO TO YOUR PHYSICIAN, UH, TO, TO CHECK OUT THOSE SYMPTOMS. DON'T GO TO AN ER, AN URGENT CARE THAT MIGHT BE CROWDED, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF HOW CONTAGIOUS THE VIRUS IS.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, DON'T HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, UH, YOUR CHILD DOESN'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL, VISIT READY HARRIS.ORG OR HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LEGACY WILL OFFER VACCINES FREE OF CHARGE, UH, FOR THOSE.
WE HAVE A MAP AND WE HAVE INFORMATION ON THE RESOURCES, AND WE'RE WORKING ON A CALL CENTER.
SO LET ME PASS IT ON, UH, HERE TO THE MAYOR.
I'LL, I'LL REPEAT MY REMARKS IN SPANISH AFTER THAT, BUT, BUT I WANT TO, TO MAKE SURE, UM, FOLKS KNOW THIS IS COMPLETELY IN OUR HANDS.
WE HAVE NO ACTIVE CASES RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT THE RODEO COMING UP.
UM, WE, WE ALREADY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FLOODS AND HURRICANES AND, UH, THE RED SHOWS THAT TURNS OUT.
SO LET'S NOT WORRY ABOUT MEASLES AS WELL.
UH, LET'S JUST ENJOY OUR TIMES AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE IF WE GET THOSE 12 MONTH OLDS, UH, VACCINATED AND THOSE, IF THERE'S ANY OF OF YOU WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED, THAT YOU GET THAT DONE.
UM, SO, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU JUDGE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE COLLABORATION BECAUSE WE KNOW A VIRUS DOES NOT RESPECT COUNTY LINES, CITY LIMITS, DEFINITELY.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, THE REMEDY FOR EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THE JUDGES HAS ARTICULATED OUR CONCERNS.
THE REMEDY IS BEING VACCINATED.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT UNDER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES OF HAVE YOU BEEN VACCINATED, TAKE THE PRECAUTION OF BEING VACCINATED.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS AWARE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE'VE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LAST WEEKEND PROVIDED AN OUTREACH PROGRAM.
WE'RE DISCUSSING IT DAILY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IF EVERYONE WILL GET VACCINATED, ANYONE THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE, MAKE CERTAIN YOU'RE VACCINATED, MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND YOU WILL BE PROTECTED FROM THIS VIRUS.
I WANT TO, WITH THE JUDGE'S CONSENT YIELD TO MY HEALTH DIRECTOR WHO IS MONITORING THIS WITH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AROUND THE CLOCK.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, NO DETECTION OF AN INFECTED RESIDENT.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE.
AT THIS TIME, NO ONE INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS BEEN DETECTED.
THE WEST TEXAS INCIDENTS PRIMARILY FROM TRAVEL AND LACK OF INDIVIDUALS BEING VACCINATED.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE IN HOUSTON.
AND CERTAINLY THE JUDGE SPEAKING FOR HARRIS COUNTY IN OUR REGION.
SO LET ME YIELD TO STEVE WILLIAMS, THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, WHO HE AND HIS STAFF ALL HANDS ON DECK WERE COMMUNICATING.
GO TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER.
[00:10:01]
ONE, TALK TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THAT OUTREACH CAPABILITY.STEVE, WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US A STATUS REPORT? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
MY FOCUS IS PRIMARILY GONNA BE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM THE HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON PREVENTION.
WE'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN WEEKLY CALLS WITH OUR REGIONAL AND, AND, AND STATE PARTNERS.
YOU, YOU MIGHT ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE TESTING FOR MEASLES THROUGH OUR WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.
WE CO CURRENTLY MONITOR 36 WA WASTEWATER TREATMENT, UH, FACILITIES, AND 48 MANHOLES FOR MEASLES.
WE ARE GONNA START MONITORING, UH, SCHOOLS, UH, WITH LOW VACCINATION RATES, SEVERAL SHELTERS, NURSING HOMES, AND, AND TWO JAIL JAILS FOR, FOR MEASLES IN JANUARY.
MEASLES WAS FOUND IN A WASTEWATER SAMPLER, A SAMPLE THAT CAME FROM A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT SERVING THE AREA WHERE TWO CONFIRMED TRAVEL RELATED MEASLES CASES WERE FOUND.
AND IN RESPONSE TO THAT, UH, WE NOTIFIED, IMPACTED, IMPACTED GROUPS.
WE PUT OUT A HEALTH HEALTH ADVISORY.
UH, WE INTERVIEWED PEOPLE THAT HAD A LEVEL OF EXPOSURE, PROVIDED EDUCATION, UH, AND FRANK, FRANKLY, UH, THANKFULLY THERE WERE NO CASES THAT RESULTED FROM THAT, THOSE INITIAL CASES.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS SITUATION IN WEST TEXAS, WE'VE PROVIDED MEASLES EDUCATION TO MORE THAN 500 MEDICAL PROVIDERS IN A TOWN HALL LAST, JUST LAST FRIDAY.
WE ALSO HELD A MEASLES VACCINATION CLINIC OVER, OVER THE PAST WEEKEND.
WE'RE REALLY UPDATING OUR EMPLOYEES ON, ON MEASLES SO THAT WE CAN, UH, HAVE A COMMON MESSAGE WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH, UH, LOCAL PROVIDERS, TEXAS VACCINE FOR CHILDREN PROVIDERS, OUR ADULT SAFETY NET, UH, PROVIDERS ASKING WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ACTUALLY OPEN FOR, FOR WALK-INS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE WILLING TO REDUCE THEIR FEES, UH, AND, AND ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS.
PART OF THIS IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO, TO, TO VACCINATIONS, BECAUSE GOVERNMENT, QUITE FRANKLY, CAN'T REALLY DO IT ALL.
WE NEED TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF OUR, UH, MEDICAL PROVIDERS.
BUT MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS ON, UH, SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH LOW VACCINATION RATES AND, AND DAYCARE FACILITIES.
UH, WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE THE LOW VACCINATION RATES ARE, AND SO WE'RE TARGETING THEM.
UH, WE'VE LO NOTIFIED LOCAL HOSPITALS AND PROVIDED APPLICABLE, UH, COMMUNICATION AND HEALTH EDUCATION.
ALL OF OUR INFORMATION AND ME MESSAGING WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
IF YOU'RE A PROVIDER AND WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION OR TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR NEXT TOWN HALL, WE ASK THAT YOU CALL 8 3 2 3 9 3 5 1 8 8, OR FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, JUST GIVE US A CALL AT OUR, OUR CALL CENTER AT (832) 393-5427, OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE@HOUSTONHEALTH.ORG.
THIS SITE WILL BE UPDATED REGULARLY AND WILL HAVE USE USEFUL INFORMATION LIKE FINDING A PROVIDER GUIDANCE ON VACCINES, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS. THANK YOU.
AND LET ME CALL UP, UM, OUR, OUR, UH, LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, DR. BROWN.
SO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, HOUSTON, WE TOO, UH, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VACCINE IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
UM, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND ALSO, UH, WE'LL BE, UM, UH, OUT ON READY HARRIS.ORG.
UM, BUT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THOSE WHO ARE, UH, ABLE TO GET VACCINATED DO SO BECAUSE THE, THE DISEASE IS COMPLETELY, UH, PREVENTABLE THROUGH VACCINATION.
I DO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO GO OVER, UM, SOME OF THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS JUST IN CASE SOMEONE MAY THINK, UM, THAT THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED.
SO, HIGH FEVER IS, UM, ONE OF THE CARDINAL SYMPTOMS, A RASH THAT STARTS FROM THE FACE OR NECK AND WORKS ITS WAY DOWN.
UM, THAT FEELS MORE LIKE A SANDPAPER RASH AND LOOKS LIKE A BLOTCHY RED RASH, UM, UH, CONJUNCTIVITIS, WHICH IS TEARING OF THE EYES AND REDNESS OF THE EYES, A RUNNY NOSE, AND PERHAPS SOME SPOTS IN THE BACK OF THE, THE THROAT MAY BE SYMPTOMS AS WELL.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET VACCINATED, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO, UH, ADVISE THE PUBLIC ON WHAT TO BE MINDFUL TO WATCH OUT FOR.
UM, IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
AND NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO DR.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, THRILLED TO BE HERE.
UH, I WISH IT WASN'T UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, ACTUALLY.
THE, THE JUDGE AND THE MAYOR GOT MOST OF MY TALKING POINTS.
SO WHEN, NEXT TIME CNN OR M-S-N-B-C CALLS, I'M JUST GOING TO REFER THEM TO YOU AND YOU CAN JUST, YOU CAN JUST DO THAT.
UM, A FEW THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS MEASLES EPIDEMIC IN, IN WEST TEXAS.
UM, THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB.
[00:15:01]
FEW DAYS THERE'S AN UPDATE, AND EVERY TIME THE NUMBERS GO UP, THE REASON THAT'S SIGNIFICANT IS BECAUSE MEASLES HAS WHAT'S CALLED AN INCUBATION PERIOD OF AROUND 12 DAYS.MEANING FROM THE TIME YOU'RE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS TO THE TIME YOU SHOW SYMPTOMS IS ON AVERAGE 12 DAYS, IT CAN GO AS LONG AS 21 DAYS.
SO EVERY TIME YOU SEE THE NUMBERS GOING UP FROM THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IT, IT'S EVERGREEN.
IT MEANS WE'RE GONNA STILL BE IN THIS FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.
AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE SUGGEST TO ME THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND FOR, UM, QUITE SOME TIME.
I DON'T SEE THIS GOING DOWN, UH, ANYTIME SOON IN WEST TEXAS.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DO HAVE AN OUTSTANDING, UH, VACCINE.
UH, I DEVELOP VACCINES FOR A LIVING.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MAKING THE IDEAL VACCINE FOR THIS DISEASE, OR THAT OUR PARADIGM IS MEASLES, WE SAY OUR GOAL IS OUR ASPIRATIONAL GOAL IS TO MAKE A VACCINE THAT'S AS GOOD AS THE MMR VACCINE.
BECAUSE A SINGLE DOSE IS 90% PROTECTIVE, UH, AND TWO DOSES IS 97% PROTECTIVE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT.
AND AN INCREDIBLY SAFE VACCINE, ONE OF THE BEST SAFETY PROFILES OF ANY VACCINE WE, WE HAVE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THAT WORD OUT.
THE OTHER ASPECT OF THE VACCINE IS NOT ONLY ITS PROTECTIVE EFFECT AGAINST MEASLES, BUT IT'S CALLED MMR FOR A REASON, BECAUSE IT ALSO PROTECTS AGAINST MUMPS.
AND MUMPS IS A LEADING CAUSE OF ORAS TESTICULAR SWELLING IN, IN BOYS AND MALES THAT COULD LEAD TO STERILITY.
THAT'S YET ANOTHER REASON TO GET THE MMR VACCINE.
AND THE R IS RUBELLA, WHICH, UM, CAUSES GERMAN MEASLES.
BUT THE ONE YOU WORRY ABOUT THE MOST IS CALLED CONGENITAL RUBELLA SYNDROME.
IF A PREGNANT WOMAN IS UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET RUBELLA, THEIR CHILD COULD BE BORN WITH PROFOUND BIRTH DEFECTS, UH, INCLUDING HEART DEFECTS, UH, DEAFNESS, UH, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.
I'VE SEEN ONLY A HANDFUL OF CONGENITAL RUBELLA CASES AND BLINDNESS I'VE SEEN ONLY FROM CATARACTS.
I'VE SEEN ONLY A HANDFUL OF CONGENITAL RUBELLA CASES IN MY TIME, AND YOU NEVER FORGET THEM, UH, WHEN YOU SEE THEM.
I KNOW WE SOUND A BIT LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, UH, BUT THE BEST VACCINE YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE, UM, AN INCREDIBLE SAFETY PROFILE.
AND, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE MESSAGE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING INTO, UH, CROWDED, UH, AREAS IN THE CITY WHERE POTENTIALLY THERE, THERE COULD HAVE INDIVIDUALS SHEDDING MEASLES VIRUS INTO, INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
UH, I, AS, UH, AS DREZ POINTED OUT A LOT OF THE BIGGEST POINTS I'VE BEEN ALREADY SAID.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MEASLES, I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BAD NEWS.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE BAD NEWS.
IT'S VERY EASY TO SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON, ESPECIALLY SOMEBODY WHO'S UNVACCINATED.
AND WHEN YOU BECOME ILL WITH IT, WE KNOW THE JUDGE POINTED OUT UP TO 20% OF PEOPLE ARE ILL ARE GONNA GET SICK ENOUGH THAT THEY REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION.
WELL, THE OTHER 80% ARE GONNA STILL BE REALLY SICK, HIGH FEVER BODY ACHES, FEELING MISERABLE IN BED.
IT IS A MISERABLE ILLNESS TO GET THROUGH.
MOST PEOPLE DO FINE, BUT YEAH, ABOUT ONE IN A THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE GONNA DIE.
AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA HAVE PERMANENT NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS 'CAUSE IT CAN AFFECT THE BRAIN.
SO THE BAD NEWS ABOUT MEASLES IS THAT IT IS VERY CONTAGIOUS AND IT CAN MAKE YOU REALLY SICK AND HAVE SOME HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES.
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT MEASLES IS, NUMBER ONE, AND JUDGE MENTIONED THIS AND OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, IS THAT WE'VE GOT PRETTY DECENT VACCINE VACCINE COVERAGE AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT WHEN WE HAD THE TWO CASES HERE BACK IN DECEMBER, JANUARY, IT DIDN'T SPREAD.
IT DIDN'T SPREAD FOR BASICALLY THREE REASONS.
AND I WANNA REINFORCE THESE THREE REASONS.
ONE IS THE PEOPLE WHO GOT SICK, THEY GOT PRETTY SICK, THEY SOUGHT HELP, THEY RAISED THEIR HAND, THEY WENT TO THEIR DOCTOR.
THE DOCTOR THEN MADE THE DIAGNOSIS, WHICH TODAY IS TO BE COMMENDED BECAUSE SO MANY PHYSICIANS HAVE NOT SEEN MEASLES.
'CAUSE IT HASN'T REALLY BEEN COMMON FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
SO THE DOCTORS WERE ON THE BALL, THEY MADE THE DIAGNOSIS.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED, THEY COOPERATED WITH THE DOCTORS AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEY KEPT THEMSELVES AT HOME SO THAT IT DIDN'T SPREAD.
AND SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD AND PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT, MIGHT I GET MEASLES? WELL, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT MAYBE GETTING MEASLES, YOU NEED TO GET YOURSELF VACCINATED.
IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU WERE NEVER VACCINATED, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WERE BORN IN SOME COUNTRY, A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE VACCINATION WASN'T COMMON, AND YOU CAME HERE AT THE AGE OF WHATEVER, AND NOW IT'S A COUPLE YEARS LATER AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU WEREN'T VACCINATED, YOU CAN GET VACCINATED AS AN ADULT.
THERE'S PLENTY OF VACCINE AVAILABLE.
YOU, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT WAYS THAT YOU CAN VACCINATE.
IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, YOU DON'T KNOW.
YOU THINK MAYBE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR VACCINATION RECORDS.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
EVEN IF YOU'RE VACCINATED AS A CHILD, YOU GET VACCINATED AGAIN, IT'S NOT GONNA HURT YOU.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER THING.
AND THEN IF FOR SOME REASON YOU WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WERE VACCINATED, THERE IS A BLOOD TEST.
BUT QUITE HONESTLY, THAT TAKES A LITTLE SEVERAL DAYS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO JUST GO AHEAD AND GET VACCINATED AGAIN.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT IN OUR, IN OUR DEFENSE SYSTEM AND DIRECTOR WILLIAMS POINTED
[00:20:01]
OUT THE WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE, OUR WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE TELLS US RIGHT NOW WHERE THERE'S NO MEASLES IN HOUSTON, AS OF THIS LAST WEEK, THERE'S NO MEASLES, NONE.AND WE, AND I'M REALLY CONFIDENT BECAUSE WHEN WE HAD TWO CASES OUT OF 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE, WE PICKED IT UP.
THAT IS AN EXTREMELY SENSITIVE WAY TO DETECT THERE'S MEASLES.
SO RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR ANYBODY TO GET OVERLY EXCITED.
IT IS NOT THE TIME FOR ANYBODY TO GET S SCARED.
AND IF YOU NEED TO GET VACCINATED, GET VACCINATED.
IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU'RE PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT, THEY'VE GOT A CHRONIC ILLNESS, THEY'VE GOT AN IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEM, THEY'RE VULNERABLE FOR WHATEVER REASON.
REMEMBER WHEN YOU'RE ILL WITH THE VIRUS, THE PERSON YOU'RE MOST LIKELY TO SPREAD IT TO IS A FAMILY MEMBER.
SO IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT, YOUR BEST LINE OF DEFENSE IS FOR EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE VACCINATED.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHO MOST LIKELY TO SPREAD IT TO THE WORST AND YOU'RE MOST WORRIED ABOUT.
I, I'D LIKE TO GET CLEAR BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT DECEMBER AND I WAS SAYING THERE ARE NO ACTIVE CASES, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING TO TODAY.
THERE'S BEEN NO ACTIVE CASES DETECTED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THERE IS, WELL OUR WASTEWATER IS ACTUALLY DIRTY.
UH, BUT, BUT THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO MEASLES VIRUS.
AND THERE HASN'T BEEN SINCE BACK DECEMBER, JANUARY, WE WERE TRAVELERS AND THEY HAD TRAVELED.
THAT WAS A TRAVEL CASE, RIGHT? THEY HAD TRAVELED INTERNATIONALLY, CAUGHT IT, AND CAME BACK OVER THERE.
OKAY, SO LET ME, UM, REPEAT MY REMARKS IN SPANISH.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, I'M GONNA ASK THE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE HERE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING, UM, THAT WE DID NOT MENTION TO POLICE, YOU KNOW, COME UP AFTER MY SPANISH REMARKS AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE QUESTIONS.
ONE THING I WANNA MAKE SURE SOMEBODY TALKS ABOUT IS, UM, ABOUT THE BABIES, BECAUSE YOU CAN ONLY, UH, VACCINATE CHILDREN OVER 12 MONTHS OLD.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE A BABY THAT'S YOUNGER THAN THAT? SO I'LL LET ONE OF THE DOCTORS TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT LET ME, UH, JUST REPEAT BRIEFLY IN SPANISH OF THE,
[00:27:28]
OKAY.SO LET ME GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, UM, TO SPEAK IF ARE THESE FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA SPEAK? OKAY, SO DR.
SINGH, UH, WITH TEXAS CHIL, DR.
SNA SINGH WITH TEXAS CHILDREN'S PEDIATRICS.
UH, SHE'S THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, AND SO SHE WILL SPEAK AND THEN WE'LL HAVE DR.
TAMISHA JONES INTER INTERIM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AT THE LEGACY CENTER.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A MOM AND A PEDIATRICIAN, ALL ANYONE'S BEEN SPEAKING TO ME ABOUT FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, I'D PROBABLY SAY IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, HAS BEEN MEASLES AND MEASLES INFECTION.
AND THAT MAKES SENSE CONSIDERING THE PERSON THAT YOU SHOULD BE SPEAKING TO, IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS, IS YOUR PEDIATRICIAN OR PHYSICIAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE ANXIETY AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU GOOD NEWS.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU GREAT NEWS, ACTUALLY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT YOU TO BE REASSURED ABOUT IS IF YOU'VE HAD TWO DOSES OF THE MEASLES VACCINE, YOU ARE 97% IMMUNE.
IF YOU'VE HAD EVEN ONE DOSE, YOU'RE AT 93% IMMUNITY.
AND SO FOR YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILD, THAT'S STILL REALLY GOOD NEWS.
NOW WHAT IF YOU'RE NOT VACCINATED OR YOU'RE NOT SURE IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, STILL HAVE REALLY GOOD NEWS.
AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP AS PART OF THE CALL TO ACTION TEXAS CHILDREN'S PEDIATRICS THROUGH OUR CLINICS, AS WELL AS OUR MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS IS GOING TO BE HELPING TO PROVIDE, GET YOU THOSE VACCINATIONS, INCLUDING THIS WEEKEND.
SO STARTING THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 8TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:00 PM AT OUR TEXAS CHILDREN'S PEDIATRICS WESTWOOD LOCATION, WE WILL BE OFFERING THE MMR VACCINE IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD YOUR FIRST DOSE AND ARE OVER THE AGE OF 12 MONTHS OF AGE, THIS WILL CONTINUE NEXT SATURDAY, MARCH 15TH.
AGAIN FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:00 PM AT THE TCP WESTWOOD LOCATION.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE VACCINATIONS THROUGH OUR MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS.
AND YOU CAN FIND THE LOCATION OF OUR MOBILE HEALTH VANS ONLINE, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU ALSO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SET UP THAT MMR VACCINE ONLINE AS WELL.
THIS IS THE TIME, AS EVERYONE HERE HAS SAID, NOT TO PANIC.
THIS IS THE TIME TO PREPARE AND IT'S TO BOOST PREVENTION IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO EFFECTIVELY PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.
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IS HERE.WE WILL OFFER THE VITAL HELP AND RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE IN NEED.
AND FOR CHILDREN OUT THERE, PLEASE BE REASSURED YOUR PEDIATRICIANS WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR, IS PROTECTING KIDS.
TAMISHA JONES, INTERIM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AT LEGACY.
SO AT LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH, WE ARE PROUD TO TAKE CARE OF HOUSTON'S COMMUNITY.
REGARDLESS OF THE ABILITY TO PAY AND MEASLES AND VACCINATION AGAINST MEASLES IS NO EXCEPTION.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD THE CALL TO ACTION AS OUR FRIENDS AT TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
AND SO WE ALSO WILL BE HOLDING AN EVENT THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 8TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:30 PM AT TWO OF OUR LARGEST LOCATIONS, ONE OF WHICH WAS IN, WHICH IS IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON.
AGAIN, 8:00 AM TILL 2:30 PM THE SECOND LOCATION WILL BE IN OUR FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS AT OUR LIONS CLINIC.
THAT IS AT 38 11 LIONS AVENUE, SAME HOURS, EIGHT O'CLOCK TO 2:30 PM FOR CHILDREN, 12 MONTHS TO 18 YEARS OLD, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE MEDICAID, UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED.
WHAT WE DO AT LEGACY IS WE TAKE CARE OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE HAPPY TO DO SO.
YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US AT OUR WEBSITE, LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO KEEP YOU, YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.
UM, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE, ON THE BABIES? UM, UP TO 12 MONTHS OLD? I'D BE HAPPY TO.
UM, SO THE CONCERN FOR THE CHILDREN WHO CANNOT BE VACCINATED, WHICH CURRENTLY MOST CHILDREN UNDER 12 MONTHS OF AGE, UM, ARE NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE THE FIRST VACCINE THE UNDER SIX MONTHS OF AGE CANNOT GET THE MMR VACCINE.
AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS PEDIATRICIANS IS AVOIDING LARGE CROWDED PLACES, IF YOU'RE UNSURE OF WHO MIGHT BE THERE NOT COMING IN CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY WITH A KNOWN MEASLES EXPOSURE OR KNOWN MEASLES INFECTION.
AND TO DELAY INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL BECAUSE THERE ARE CASES ARISING FROM THAT TRAVEL TO OTHER PLACES WHERE THERE MAY BE OUTBREAKS.
THERE ARE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE SIX MONTHS TO 11 MONTH YEAR OLDS.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE CDC WEBSITE, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE GUIDELINES.
BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR PEDIATRICIAN, THEY'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH WHETHER YOUR SIX TO 11 MONTH OLD WOULD QUALIFY 12 MONTHS AND OVER.
AS LONG AS THERE'S NO OTHER UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITION, YOU ARE READY TO GO.
UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE LIKE A GLOBAL TREND OF NOT ING CHILDREN TO THEORIES THAT SAY THAT THE VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM, AUTISM, UH, HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS TREND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL? AND ALSO WHERE ARE THOSE, UH, LOW VACCINATION LEVELS HERE RATE IN HOUSTON AREA? YEAH, SO, SO OBVIOUSLY, UM, THAT CLAIM IS, IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE.
UM, AND VACCINES PREVENT ILLNESS.
UM, BUT LET ME, UH, LET ME LET DR.
HOTEZ HERE EXPAND ON THAT QUESTION.
UM, I, I GOT INVOLVED WITH, UH, GOING UP AGAINST SOME OF THE ANTI-VACCINE GROUPS BECAUSE AS YOU POINT OUT, THE ORIGINAL ASSERTION WAS THAT VACCINES BEGINNING WITH THE MM MR VACCINE LEADS TO, UH, AUTISM.
AND, UH, I GOT INVOLVED WITH IT BECAUSE I NOT ONLY MAKE VACCINES, BUT MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, RACHEL, WHO'S NOW AN ADULT, HAS AUTISM AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.
AND I WOUND UP WRITING A BOOK CALLED VACCINES DID NOT CAUSE RACHEL'S AUTISM.
UM, WHICH GOES INTO THE DETAILS SHOWING NOT ONLY, UM, MASSIVE EVIDENCE SHOWING NONE OF THE, NONE OF THE ASSERTIONS ARE CORRECT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE ANTI-VACCINE GROUPS DO IS THEY KEEP ON MOVING THE GOALPOST.
SO AS SOON AS YOU DEBUNK ONE OF THEIR ASSERTIONS, THEY COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THE ORIGINAL ASSERTION IN 1998 WAS A FALSE CLAIM THAT THE MMR VACCINE CAUSES AUTISM.
UM, THERE WERE LARGE COHORTS, FIRST OF ALL, THE PAPER WAS SHOWN TO BE FRAUDULENT AND RETRACTED.
SECOND, UM, THERE WERE LARGE COHORT STUDIES TO SHOW THAT KIDS WHO GOT MMR VACCINE ARE NO MORE LIKELY TO REQUIRE AUTISM THAN KIDS WHO DON'T.
AND THEN THEY KEEP SWITCHING IT UP TO TH MARISOL PRESERVATIVE TO SPACING VACCINES TOO CLOSE TOGETHER TO ALI IN VACCINES TO HPV.
IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL NOT THE CASE.
AND THE REASON IS VERY SIMPLE.
AUTISM, UH, IS A NEURODEVELOPMENTAL CONDITION.
UM, WITH AUTISM GENES, WE'VE NOW IDENTIFIED MORE THAN A HUNDRED AUTISM GENES ALL INVOLVED IN, UM, EARLY PREGNANCY.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT EVEN ANY PLAUSIBILITY, UH, FOR THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PROBLEM IS IT KEEPS ON MOVING UP.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AROUND, THERE'S A LOT OF PROPAGANDA AROUND THINGS LIKE HEALTH FREEDOM, MEDICAL FREEDOM, AND WE CAN GO INTO THAT AS WELL.
JUST LAST WEEK WE WERE REPORTING THAT THERE WERE TWO CASES THAT MISO BEING INVESTIGATED, QUOTE UNQUOTE IN HOUSTON.
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JUST TO BE CLEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY, THOSE CASES DIDN'T REVEAL THAT THERE ANY ANYBODY SAID, AM I RIGHT? THE TEST RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE.INCLUDING, INCLUDING THERE'S BEEN NO DETECTION AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WASTEWATER, ALL THE AVAILABLE TESTS HAVE SHOWN NO ACTIVE BASIS OF USE.
DOES HE? NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN, EXCUSE ME.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T TAKE ALL THE PRECAUTIONS AS EVERYONE HAS REPEATED.
YOU SHOULD BE VACCINATED AND CAN DOUBT HE HAD A VACCINATION.
COULD YOU WANT TO PROVIDE ANY CLARITY ON, I I JUST THINK THAT CONFUSION STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT THERE WERE TWO CASES EARLIER ON, BUT THERE WAS NO CONTAGION FROM THAT.
SO THERE WERE SOME BUT THERE ARE NONE RIGHT NOW.
COULD YOU THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S ASKING.
THAT'S NOT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CLEAR.
THOSE TWO CASES WE WERE RUNNING TWO TESTS.
UH, NORMALLY WE, BUT THOSE WERE NE THE RESULTS OF THE TESTS WERE NEGATIVE.
NO CASES HAVE BEEN FOUND HERE IN, IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, SO WE'RE TAKING ALL THE PRECAUTIONS AS THESE EXCELLENT DOCTORS HAVE MENTIONED IN THE JUDGE, DR. WILLIAMS, COULD YOU, UM, PROVIDE ANY CLARITY AS TO WHY THOSE TWO PEOPLE ON FRIDAY WERE SUSPECTED TAB MISSLES? NO, I I IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE MIC, THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU, DIRECTOR.
I, WE USUALLY, WE RUN TESTS EVERY DAY FOR A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T USUALLY REPORT OUT WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY RUNNING TESTS.
BUT THE RESULTS OF THE TESTS THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO WERE NEGATIVE.
DIRECTOR WILLIAMS, YOU MENTIONED THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND DAY, 'CAUSE YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE LOW VACCINATION RATES.
CAN WE DISCUSS WHAT IS CONSIDERED A LOW VACCINATION RATE? AND ALSO ARE WE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHICH DISTRICTS WE'RE LOOKING AT? YOU WANNA GO AHEAD.
I THINK 95%, THE LOW 95% IS A, IS A LOW VACCINATION RATE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN SEVERAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ARE WE ABLE TO SAY WHICH ONES SPECIFICALLY? I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION WITH ME, BUT WE, WE KNOW ACTUALLY WE CAN LOOK AT IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY AND, AND TELL WHICH SCHOOLS HAVE LOW VACCINATION RATES.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS I KNOW THAT GO INTO QUITTING THE MOBILE VACCINATION CLINICS AS WELL AS THE VACCINATION CLINICS IN PLACE.
HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED INTO AREAS THAT NOT ONLY HAVE THOSE LOW VACCINATION RATES, BUT MAYBE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THEM.
THEN IN FACT, IT IS OUR STRATEGY.
WE, WE LOOK AT, UH, WHERE, WHERE THERE IS A LOW VACCINATION RATE, BUT IN, IN THIS CASE, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE YOU MIGHT ASSUME HAVE LOW VACCINATION RATES ARE NOT NECESSARILY, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE.
THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS WHERE THE FOLKS BEHIND ME COULD EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY SOME FOLKS DON'T GET VACCINATED.
AND SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE NUMBERS REGARDLESS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
NO, NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I KNOW IT'S GETTING WARM IN HERE, SO IF ANYBODY NEEDS WATER OR TO TAKE A SEAT, UM, TAMMY CAN TELL.
UM, DON'T SPEAK SPANISH NOT FOR PRIME.
[00:40:15]
AND, AND DR HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE MISINFORMATION THAT IS GOING ON, SO MAYBE YOU CAN ADD THAT IN ENGLISH AS WELL.YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY, THE, UM, THE DISINFORMATION MACHINE IS VERY STRONG, UM, RIGHT NOW AND IT'S, UH, ESPECIALLY STRONG HERE IN IN TEXAS.
UM, WE EVEN HAVE AN ANTI-VACCINE GROUP THAT GETS PAC MONEY, POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE MONEY, UH, HERE IN TEXAS.
AND, AND THAT ACCOUNTS FOR, UNFORTUNATELY FOR A STEEP RISE IN THE NUMBER OF PARENTS, NOT SO MUCH IN HARRIS COUNTY, BUT OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE REQUESTING NON-MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS.
UM, AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE GETTING THESE POCKETS OF LOW VACCINATION COVERAGE, UH, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO IN GRIMES, UH, IN GAINES COUNTY, UM, WHERE THE MEASLES OUTBREAK BEGAN, THAT VACCINATION RATE IS UNDER 90% AND MEASLES IS A GREAT EXPLOITER OF LOW VACCINATION RATES.
UM, THE MINUTE VACCINATION RATES GO DOWN BELOW 90% OFTEN THE FIRST VIRUS INFECTION YOU SEE IS A BREAKTHROUGH, IS MEASLES BECAUSE AS THE JUDGE AND THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, IT'S SO HIGHLY, UH, TRANSMISSIBLE.
SO MEASLES IS KIND OF THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE OF, OF LOW VACCINATION RATES, BUT OTHERS WILL FOLLOW.
WE COULD ALSO SEE PERTUSSIS WHOOPING COUGH.
WE'VE HAD POLIO AND THE WASTEWATER IN NEW YORK.
SO THE WORRY IS THAT THE VACCINE ECOSYSTEM WILL START TO ERODE OR UNRAVEL, AND THIS IS WHY WE TRY TO AT LEAST HOLD THE LINE WITH MEASLES TO PREVENT THINGS FROM GETTING ANY WORSE.
SO THE CDC OBVIOUSLY TODAY HAS ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THEY WILL BE HELPING WEST TEXAS HERE VOCALLY.
HAVE YOU GUYS HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CEC? AND OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS HAVE MENTIONED AND REITERATED, WE HAVE NO CASES CURRENTLY IN HOUSTON OR HARRIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS BEEN STREAMLINED? ANY OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS BEEN HEARD? I'LL, I'LL JUST MENTION ONE THING AND THEN ALLOW, UM, MY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND, UH, HEALTH AUTHORITY TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS.
AND, AND THAT IS, UM, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES.
WE HAVE A, A WELL-OILED MACHINE IN TERMS OF IF ANYBODY IS RUNNING LOW ON VACCINES, UH, WE CAN REQUEST MORE FROM THE STATE AND THEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO IN THAT SENSE, UH, THAT COORDINATION REMAINS VERY, VERY STRONG.
UM, I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO A CDC REPRESENTATIVE I DID DURING COVID, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UH, THIS IS NOT AT THAT LEVEL.
UM, SO LET ME, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? UH, DIRECTOR BARDEN AND DR. BROWN? YEAH, YEAH, SO I'M SORRY.
SO, UM, UM, WE, WE ARE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE STATE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK IN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE CDC, WE HAVE NOT HAD DIRECT CONTACT WITH THEM, BUT, UM, AS THE JUDGE SAID, VACCINE IS READILY AVAILABLE, UM, FOR DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT, UM, THE STATE OF TEXAS.
YES, JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT IT BEING EQUITABLE, I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE VACCINES THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING, UM, AT THE LOCATIONS THAT WE SPOKE OF, THE MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS AS WELL AS TCP WESTWOOD WILL BE FREE.
SO THIS IS, UM, ONE OF THOSE THINGS AND I THINK THE COMBINATION OF RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS COMING TOGETHER ARE GOING TO BE REACHING SO MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD WEEKEND TO GET OUT THERE AND GET VACCINATED IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
AND WE DO HAVE THEM ALL OVER, ALL OVER THE COUNTY.