Professor George Rust, M.D., director of the FSU-College of Medicine Center for Medicine and Public Health Policy and Practice, appeared on WCTV recently to discuss 2025 measles outbreaks.

Experienced in advising the public on how to handle measles outbreaks, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines as three or more related cases, Rust stressed the importance of maintaining a 95% vaccination rate to prevent widespread transmission of the highly contagious disease. However, declining vaccination rates are increasing the risk of further outbreaks. The one death reported in West Texas was a school-aged child who was not vaccinated.

He also addressed a recent measles case at a Miami-Dade high school, warning that if students in the affected classroom are not vaccinated, up to 90% could be at risk of contracting the virus. Rust emphasized that full vaccination offers 97% lifelong protection.

At the time of the interview, an outbreak in West Texas had reported 159 cases, 20 hospitalizations, and one death. Since then, the total has risen to 223 cases and a second death is under investigation. Also, the outbreak has spread across the state line into eastern New Mexico, where 26 of the 30 people who contracted measles were not vaccinated and one person died.