Measles brings renewed attention to vaccinations in rural Cochise County

By Shar Porier shar.porier@myheraldreview.com Mar 13, 2025    Original Article at the Herald/Review. 

SIERRA VISTA — To vaccinate or not to vaccinate is a decision all must make when it comes to preventing the spread of diseases. Currently, measles has spread from a Texas county which has the lowest vaccinations rates in the state, into Arizona’s neighbor, New Mexico.

As the reality of the seriousness of the disease sets in in several states around the country, those who have been reluctant to be vaccinated and have said no to vaccinating their children are seriously reconsidering those decisions.

Vaccine hesitancy and refusal have increased due to claims vaccinations may cause autism even though numerous studies have shown no such link. The National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as Institute of Medicine, reviewed the safety of eight vaccines to children and adults. The review found that with rare exceptions, these vaccines are very safe,” states the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Parents may choose to forego vaccinating their children, but they then risk spreading measles to others who may be vulnerable, like the very young, the very old and people with compromised immune systems if the virus is contracted.

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), researchers with the Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics narrowed the reasons down into four overarching categories for vaccine hesitation and refusal – “religious reasons, personal beliefs or philosophical reasons, safety concerns and a desire for more information from healthcare providers.”

This mistrust of vaccines extend to vaccinations for shingles, pneumonia and the many varieties of the flu which again add to the possible spread of these diseases to the vulnerable public.

Now, with the redline chaos of the Trump administration under the leadership of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., many are concerned they will not be able to receive the vaccines necessary for them to maintain their children’s health and their own.

However, here in Cochise County, Chiricahua Community Health Clinics, Inc. (CCHCI) continues to provide a number of vaccines to prevent a host of diseases.

Dennis Walto, CCHCI Chief External Affairs Officer, said, “We understand that vaccine hesitation can be rooted in fear or improper knowledge about vaccines. It is our job as medical and public health professionals to take the time to learn what our patients may be fearful of and address and knowledge gaps so that we can provide the necessary tools to reduce those concerns that may be leading to hesitation.”

Walto noted, vaccine hesitancy is nothing new in the county. CCHCI has been “actively addressing it by prioritizing strong provider recommendations to patients and parents, and ensuring all patients and families have adequate and thorough scientifically backed information to assist them in making informed decisions. For many, this is a personal choice issue, and we want to make sure that our patients have trusted information to make those choices.”

Staff will continue to promote vaccines during appointments and all interaction with patients with the goal “to provide each patient the appropriate evidence–based information for them to make informed decisions,” added Walto.

“The current measles outbreak demonstrates the risk for widespread harm, morbidity and mortality when vaccination rates are not at adequate thresholds. At Chiricahua, we are doing everything in our ability to increase vaccine confidence through information sharing and prevent deaths due to vaccine refusal or hesitancy.”

CCHCI will maintain the promotion and education of vaccine safety to make people aware of how fast things can go south when the shots are refused. Staff are knowledgeable about the subject matter of vaccines and able to answer all patient questions and concerns to combat misinformation.

“With all the conflicting information surrounding vaccines, it can be very hard on patients to know what is accurate and how to make the right decision. What is important is that our patients, and our community, know we are there for them and we will continue to provide consistent support as they navigate these important decisions for themselves and their families,” he noted.

The measles outbreak spreading across Texas and New Mexico and numerous other states seems to be grabbing parents’ attention.

Walto noted, “Chiricahua providers and clinical staff are seeing an increase in requests for measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) information, even among adults. Overall, there is a heightened interest in receiving a full MMR vaccine series, and each request and appointment provides comprehensive information and education to patients.”

With the known serious side effects that can occur with measles, like pneumonia or encephalitis, a dangerous condition with the swelling of the brain, people are looking at vaccinations differently and taking steps to protect themselves and their children.

The CDC states one out of five unvaccinated people end up in the hospital from these harmful viruses. In children, one of every 20 with measles contracts pneumonia and one out of 1,000 develops encephalitis which can cause convulsions and leave children deaf or even intellectually disabled.

In unvaccinated pregnant women, the illness can cause premature birth and low birth rate babies.

As of Thursday, 99 of the 222 cases nationwide are in young people aged five to 19 and 76 are under five years old, according to the CDC. Of these, 94% were unvaccinated and 6% did not get their full vaccination series.

“We are hopeful that we can build to a confident level of herd immunity and prevent measles from spreading even if one or two cases make it to Arizona,” he continued. “We are keeping staff updated on how to deal with measles from an infection control standpoint. Providers and staff have the tools to provide proper education to patients about the dangers of measles and how to identify and prevent them.

“At the community level, we are posting on social media about vaccine availability for patients at our clinics, and vaccine availability at the Cochise Health and Services. Chiricahua will continue to provide our patients and the public with accurate information and ensure they have been educated to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.”

CCHCI is also working with the University of Arizona and CDC to implement a grant project which involves the vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infections that can cause cancer. It protects against cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers in females, anal cancer and certain head and neck cancers.

CDC states the vaccine is recommended to be given to children from age 11 to 26. It is most effective when given prior to the start of sexual activity. The HPV vaccine has been credited with a 79% reduction in cervical precancer in women when they reach the ages 20 to 24.

“There are no changes or interruptions to funding at present, and we are hopeful to start the research components in April with a focus on HPV vaccine update in the first year of rollout,” he said.

Cochise Health and Social Services (CCHS) did not respond to questions about the impact the changes to Medicaid and Medicare would have on the county. There are several grants funded positions at CCHS which could be lost in the federal cuts. A number of questions concerning the impact to the department and county residents went unanswered.