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Table of Contents

• The Measles Outbreak In Texas Right Now

  • Will we get measles here?

• Norovirus: The Stomach Bug That Spreads Fast

  • Norovirus symptoms

  • How Norovirus spreads

  • Norovirus treatment

• The Funny This Week

• Recalls & Alerts: Spoons & Magnets

The Measles Outbreak In Texas Right Now

If you’re traveling to Texas anytime soon, be aware of the measles outbreak going on right now.

This, according to the CDC:

Sadly, one of those kids has died.

This breaks my heart. You never want to see these cute little kids get sick, and you hope it’ll never cause a death.

My heart goes out to the family of that little one. Just so sad.

Will we get measles here?

It’s possible, but we hope not. (Wherever your “here” might be, with travel and the way the illness spreads, it’s always a possibility.) We haven’t seen a measles outbreak in the community where I practice, but we are high risk. This is because Utah is an “vaccine opt out state.” Meaning for religious or philosophical reasons, you can choose not to be vaccinated and still attend public school.

When vaccines aren’t required, the rates decline and “herd immunity” drops. Herd immunity happens when enough people in a community get vaccinated against a disease to protect those who can’t get vaccinated. To create herd immunity for measles, 95% of the population needs to be fully vaccinated (2 doses).

For reference, in Gaines County, Texas which has the most reported cases of measles, the vaccine exemption rate is 18% (which means only 82% of kids are vaccinated, not the needed 95%).

Any community that has a low vaccine rate is susceptible.

The map below shows which states have exemption policies. (Click the map to open the interactive source image.)

The mortality rate for measles is 3 in 1,000, meaning 3 out of every 1,000 people who get the disease will die. For reference, 107,500 people died from measles in 2023 according to the WHO (world health organization). Most of those deaths were in children under 5 years old, which is especially tragic given that measles is vaccine preventable.

Norovirus: The Stomach Bug That Spreads Fast

I decided to take my kids skiing this past weekend. On the morning we were to go, one of my kids announced that she had a stomachache. She went to the bathroom, reportedly had a normal stool, and said she felt somewhat better. Thinking the remaining pain was gas, I told her that she’d be fine and loaded up the kids.

We got partway through the drive and the pain got significantly worse. Fast forward through the gross details and bam, vomiting! The next few days were filled with more vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhea. Lots of diarrhea. Total and complete mom fail. Turns out she wasn’t fine.

This vomit/diarrhea bug has been going through families in our community like wild fire. We got lucky and managed to limit it to one member—so far, but I know it can spread like crazy. I suspect the bug is Norovirus (but I’m too cheap to spend the $900 for the gastric film array testing to confirm).

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes stomach and intestinal problems. It is often called the “stomach flu” or “food poisoning,” but it is not related to the flu. Anyone can get norovirus, and it spreads quickly, especially in places like schools, restaurants, and cruise ships.

Norovirus symptoms

The main symptoms of norovirus include:

• Nausea (feeling like you need to throw up)

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Stomach cramps

• Fever

• Chills

• Body aches

Symptoms usually start 12 to 48 hours after being exposed and last about 1 to 3 days. Even after feeling better, you can still spread the virus for a few days.

How Norovirus spreads

Norovirus spreads easily through:

• Eating food or drinking liquids contaminated with the virus

• Touching surfaces with the virus and then touching your mouth

• Close contact with someone who has norovirus

Washing your hands well with soap and water is the best way to prevent it. Hand sanitizer is not as effective.

Norovirus treatment

There is no specific medicine for norovirus. The best way to recover is to:

• Drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration

• Get plenty of rest

If you get very dehydrated (dizzy, dry mouth, not peeing much), you may need to see a doctor.

The Funny This Week

A young boy was in my office a while back with rug burns on his arms and elbows.

“What happened,” I asked.

He responded, “This? This is nothing. You should see the other guy.”

Turns out he and his brother were sliding down the stairs on their pillows.

This young boy escaped with rug burns and bruises. His brother ended up in the ER with a massive hematoma on his face.

Aren’t brothers great?

Recalls & Alerts: Spoons & Magnets

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Legal Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice or medical treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or the health and welfare of your child. We do not endorse any specific products or brands mentioned in this article. Readers are encouraged to perform their own research and consult with appropriate professionals before making any decisions based on the information provided herein.