Tarrant County health officials are closely monitoring measles as data shows low MMR vaccination rates in some schools.

TARRANT COUNTY, Texas. Tarrant County public health officials have been closely monitoring MMR vaccination rates following a recent measles outbreak among children in Ohio.

“The main message for parents is that measles can be dangerous,” said Russ Jones, head of Tarrant County Public Health Epidemiology. “If we have an introduction — I’m not saying we will — but in some places we are vulnerable to a measles outbreak.”

State data shows some Tarrant County schools have low MMR vaccination rates. MMR stands for measles, mumps and rubella.

“Most of the time you are not allowed to go to school until you get this vaccine, but the last two and a half years for three years has been different,” Jones said.

Jones said WFAA children should have received their two required MMR shots by the time they start kindergarten.

State data looks at the percentage of kindergarteners vaccinated against MMR. According to Jones, the goal is 98%.

The following is state data for Tarrant County Independent School Districts for the 2021-2022 school year:

• Aledo ISD – 94.84%
• Arlington ISD – 92.47%
• Azle ISD – 95.71%
• Birdville ISD – 95.59%
• Burleson ISD – 95.08%
• Carroll ISD – 95.68%
• Castleberry ISD – 98.53%
• Crowley ISD – 91.02%
• Eagle Mountain Saginaw ISD – 96.49%
• Everman ISD – 76.54%
• ISD Fort Worth – 86.16%
• Godley ISD – 93.30%
• Grapevine Colleyville ISD – 95.55%
• ISD Hearst-Uless-Bedford – 96.25%
• Keller ISD – 94.64%
• Kennedale ISD – 94.32%
• Lake Worth ISD – 96.53%
• Mansfield ISD – 96.23%
• Northwestern ISD – 94.88%
• ISD of the white settlement – 95.82%

Do you want to find your children’s school? Click here.

“Hesitation about vaccines, or simply not being able to do so during the COVID pandemic, is worrying,” Jones said. “Some people may be exempted on the basis of religious beliefs.”

In fact, CDC data shows that the vaccination rate of American kindergarteners has dropped again last year.

The last measles outbreak in Tarrant County was in 2013, when 21 cases were reported, Jones said. He added that it didn’t happen at school.

“We need to do a better job of promoting the vaccine to people who have young children,” Jones said.

Want to give your child the MMR vaccine? The Tarrant County Department of Health has six Department of Health clinics that are open Monday through Friday. Click here for more information.