As Texas Vaccination Rates Fall, Vulnerable Children Face Growing Risk

Juliana Salazar, 4, lives in a Houston suburb under strict isolation due to congenital athymia, a rare immune disorder that leaves her body unable to fight infections. Born with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DiGeorge syndrome), she was diagnosed at six days old and cannot safely receive vaccines, forcing her family to avoid all outside contact to prevent illness. Her condition requires constant protection, as even minor infections like a cold could prove fatal. Doctors warned her prognosis depends on avoiding exposure until a thymus transplant can restore immune function. Her mother, Ariana Salazar, said the family limits outings to prevent bringing germs home, keeping Juliana isolated from stores, playdates, and outside caregivers. Texas vaccination rates have fallen due to rising exemptions, reduced healthcare access, and declining public trust in vaccines. By the 2024–2025 school year, over 132,900 K–12 students had exemptions for at least one vaccine, increasing risks for vulnerable children like Juliana. Her mother noted that unvaccinated healthy children endanger those with medical conditions. In January 2025, a measles outbreak erupted in West Texas’ Gaines County, where vaccination rates dropped below herd immunity thresholds. By August, Texas reported 762 measles cases statewide, with 99 hospitalizations and two unvaccinated child deaths—the largest U.S. outbreak that year. State health data links outbreaks to declining vaccination coverage, threatening children who cannot be vaccinated due to medical risks.