AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas measles outbreak continues, with state health officials reporting 159 cases as of Tuesday, March 4. That includes one reported case in Austin that has been traced to international travel and isn’t part of the West Texas measles outbreak.
The MMR – measles-mumps-rubella – vaccine is highly effective in protecting against measles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles and two doses are 97% effective against the disease.
But what about herd immunity, where vaccination rates are high enough to protect a community from infection? According to the CDC, coverage of 95% or greater of two doses of the MMR vaccine is needed to create herd immunity.
KVUE took a look at data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on vaccination rates for kindergarteners to see how they compare to that 95% threshold.
‘Herd immunity’ in public school districts
The DSHS tracks vaccination rates for kindergarteners by school district and for private and charter schools.
Using the CDC’s “herd immunity” metric of 95% coverage, these public school districts in Central Texas qualify:
- Del Valle ISD – 95.14%
- Eanes ISD – 96.61%
- Elgin ISD – 96.98%
- Giddings ISD – 100%
- Hays CISD – 96.65%
- Hutto ISD – 96.46%
- La Grange ISD – 95.16%
- Lockhart ISD – 97.11%
- Luling ISD – 96.40%
- Marble Falls ISD – 95.95%
- Pflugerville ISD – 99.88%
- Rockdale ISD – 95.05%
- Round Rock ISD – 96.61%
- Round Top-Carmine ISD – 100%
- San Marcos CISD – 95.27%
- Taylor ISD – 96.89%
But these districts don’t qualify for herd immunity:
- Austin ISD – 83.67%
- Bastrop ISD – 94.73%
- Blanco ISD – 90%
- Burnet CISD – 89.80%
- Dripping Springs ISD – 94.85%
- Florence ISD – 92.31%
- Fredericksburg ISD – 93.17%
- Georgetown ISD – 94.68%
- Harper ISD – 94.87%
- Lago Vista ISD – 93.58%
- Lake Travis ISD – 92.30%
- Leander ISD – 94.56%
- Lexington ISD – 91.67%
- Liberty Hill ISD – 93.61%
- Llano ISD – 92.06%
- Manor ISD – 94.90%
- McDade ISD – 91.30%
- Thorndale ISD – 94.12%
- Thrall ISD – 86.54%
- Wimberley ISD – 80.59%
‘Herd immunity’ in private and charter schools
Herd immunity qualification is more evenly split in Central Texas private and charter schools, though some of these schools have much lower vaccination rates than any public school district in our area.
Here are the private and charter schools that qualify for herd immunity, according to the CDC’s metric:
- Advent Ridge Academy – 100%
- Austin Achieve Public Schools – 95.45%
- Austin International School – 96.67%
- Austin Jewish Academy – 100%
- Austin Peace Academy – 96.3%
- Cathedral School of St. Mary – Austin – 100%
- Cedars International Academy – 96.67%
- Doral Academy of Texas – 96.3%
- Harmony Public Schools – Central Texas – 96.7%
- Hill Country Christian School of Austin – 98%
- Holy Family Catholic School Austin – 98.15%
- International School of Texas – 96%
- Kids R Kids No. 59 – 100%
- Kirby Hall School – 100%
- NYOS Charter School – 95.14%
- Primrose School of Vista Ridge – 100%
- Primrose School of Bee Cave – 100%
- Primrose School of Four Points – 100%
- Primrose School of Pflugerville at Falco – 100%
- Primrose School of Shady Hollow – 100%
- Primrose School of Southwest Austin – 100%
- Redeemer Lutheran School Austin – 97.37%
- Renaissance Academy – 97.44%
- Santa Cruz Catholic School – 100%
- St. Andrew’s Episcopal School Austin – 100%
- St. Francis School – 96.88%
- St. Gabriel’s Catholic School – 100%
- St. Ignatius Martyr School – 100%
- St. Mary’s Catholic School – 97.5%
- St. Matthew’s Episcopal School of Austin – 100%
- St. Richard’s Episcopal School – 100%
- St. Rose of Lima School – Schulenberg – 100%
- St. Theresa Catholic School of Austin – 100%
- Texas School for the Deaf – 100%
- The Girls’ School of Austin – 100%
- The Magellan International School – 97.26%
- The Magnolia School – 100%
- Trinity Episcopal School Austin – 96.49%
And here are the schools that do not qualify for herd immunity:
- AESA Prep Academy – 54.55%
- Acton Academy Northwest Austin – 62.96%
- Alpha School – 80%
- Ascent: An Action Academy – 83.33%
- Austin Discovery School – 89.47%
- Austin Montessori School – 92.31%
- Austin Waldorf School – 63.89%
- Brentwood Christian School – 84%
- Capitol School of Austin – 87.5%
- Chaparral Star Academy – 92.86%
- Faith Academy of Marble Falls (NAUMS) – 55%
- Good Shepherd Episcopal School of Austin – 80%
- Good Shepherd Lutheran School – 93.75%
- Grace Academy of Georgetown – 58.82%
- Guidepost Montessori at Westlake – TX – 84.62%
- Headwaters School – 76.92%
- Hyde Park Schools – 92.86%
- Little Tiger Chinese Immersion School – 94.44%
- Mariposa Montessori School – 87.67%
- Montessori for All – 90.77%
- Orenda Charter School – 88.18%
- Paragon Prepatory School – 85.71%
- Primrose School of Georgetown – 90.91%
- Regents School of Austin – 80%
- Round Rock Christian Academy – 78%
- Sacred Heart School La Grange – 92.31%
- San Marcos Baptist Academy – 86.96%
- St. Paul Lutheran School Thorndale – 83.33%
- St. Paul Serbin Luther School Giddings – 85.71%
- Sterling Classical School – 79.31%
- Summit Christian Academy of Cedar Park – 83.33%
- Texas Empowerment Academy – 65.63%
- Texas Preparatory School – 90%
- UT Elementary Charter Schools – 92.86%
- Valere Public Schools – 52.5%
- Valor Public Schools – 84.06%
- Zion Walburg Lutheran School Georgetown – 75.86%
Since the outbreak began in late January, DSHS has been providing updates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.