Documented Texas measles cases from the current epidemic were 683 at the end of last week.
Texas outbreaks will likely get worse if a Texas House bill that passed out of committee last week to make it easier to get vaccine exemptions becomes law.
National and global outbreaks will get worse if vaccine expert Paul Offut is right, in recent observation, that we're past herd immunity.
As is normal, not all pieces are from April, and will so be noted, but these were the most read pieces here last month.
10. In February, I doubled down on new Texas Court of Criminal Appeals justice David Schenck's call for judicial reform with my call for real judicial reform.
9. A January Texas Progressives roundup talked mainly about a Texas Lege preview.
8. I talked about the moderators at r/MLB's subreddit kowtowing a second time on all things Trump.
7. Coming into new prominence with the Trump-Zelensky rare earths deal, I looked in detail at North Korea's military aid to Russia.
6. My January piece about updating my blogroll and why continues to get attention. And, I still generally don't miss the people that haven't been carried over.
5. In March, I said The Resistance 2.0 still wants to relitigate Russiagate 1.0.
4. I noted in February that Quorum Report founder Harvey Kronberg was pissed off. He surely is even more so, two-plus months later.
3. A Texas Progressives roundup from February reminds us of the start of the Texas measles epidemic and other things.
2. I'm sure you'll see this one here on the next popular pieces roundup in a month: My thoughts on the death of Pope Francis.
1. A Texas Progressives roundup from last month gave a snapshot on the expansion of measles, along with Lege nuttery on water and Kenny Boy Paxton nuttery.
US measles cases are now over 700, with more than 500 in Texas, and the outbreaks in New Mexico and Oklahoma, and at least part of that now in Kansas, all traceable to Gaines County, Texas.
And, ugh. DSHS is trying to cozy up to Brainworm Bobby while keeping its distance at the same time. Its latest statement on the outbreak warns about Vitamin A toxicity while saying that a "healthcare provider" can still recommend it as part of "supportive therapy."
Who's a "healthcare provider"? What is "supportive therapy"? Those are Mack Truck sized loopholes.
We now have a second confirmed measles death in Texas, on top of the one in New Mexico; known Texas measles cases likely will be over 500 by the time you read this.
Related? The Trib profiles Lubbock's public health director, Dr. Katherine Wells, including her noting this has a feeling similar to COVID, including the nutters rebelling against public health measures.
Per the profile story, coming just ahead of Brainworm Bobby's visit on Sunday, he caused this:
A Lubbock’s children hospital is now treating children with severe measles who also suffer from vitamin A toxicity. This comes after Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update the measles guidance to promote the vitamin’s use, which most health experts object to. The Trump administration is eliminating pandemic-era grants that were used to boost the department’s response to the measles outbreak, including paying for employees. And Wells is navigating what could arguably be an even more delicate line than COVID — managing the outbreak of an eradicated, preventable disease, with a worn-out staff and a growing distrust from the public.
Geez o fucking Pete. Vitamin A overdoses can kill you.
Meanwhile, Wells had her hands full during the latter stages of COVID dealing with nutters not just in the general public but the mayor and one other member of the Lubbock City Council.
On Brainworm Bobby's visit, he said he has "developed bonds" with area Mennonites. Of course he has; antivaxxers of a feather flock together. It's also "interesting" that, while out in Gaines County, he did NOT attend a news conference being held by the CDC.
That said, he did shat on Shitter Sunday to support vaccination via his official account. To which I said:
If you really believe "the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine" then why are you pushing Vitamin A, which has sent multiple kids to the hospital with Vitamin A poisoning? You look like you're trying to straddle the "sides" of science & stupidity
He has since doubled down on his mix of pseudoscience and arrogance, claiming that his measles protocol should be a model for the world.
What else IS there to say?
Well, Brainworm Bobby, unless he resists, has been asked to say more by Louisiana U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, both on pushing vaccines and on talking to his Senate committee.
Each year, 30 million children contract measles and about 500,000 die from it. Measles is a major cause of child mortality in developing countries because effective immunization programs are not in place. In response to outbreaks, Doctors Without Borders conducts mass vaccination campaigns targeting all children between 6 months and 15 years of age.
