Public Health Watch

A recent measles outbreak in West Texas and rising vaccine exemptions across the state are raising concerns for Texas families — especially those caring for children with weakened immune systems.

For 4-year-old Juliana Salazar, even common illnesses can be dangerous. Born with a rare immune disorder, she depends heavily on herd immunity and the health decisions of the people around her to stay safe.

In this new story from Public Health Watch, Juliana’s family and Texas physicians share what it looks like to navigate daily life as vaccination rates decline and concerns about preventable disease continue to grow across the state.

https://publichealthwatch.org/2026/05/28/as-texas-vaccination-rates-fall-vulnerable-children-face-growing-risk/

Copublished with: Houston Public Media

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/health-science/2026/05/28/553094/as-texas-vaccination-rates-fall-vulnerable-children-face-growing-risk/

On January 1, California placed an enrollment freeze on its once-celebrated “Health Care for All” program, which extended health coverage to undocumented immigrants. The impact was immediate and severe.

When New California Laws Kicked In, Thousands of Immigrants Dropped or Lost Medicaid Coverage - Public Health Watch Driving the decline, experts say, are several state and federal policy changes that block or discourage immigrants from obtaining or keeping coverage.

This Thursday, the CA Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board will vote on a possible ban, which would be the first in the nation. Regardless of the board's decision, Public Health Watch and our media partners are proud of our groundbreaking, bilingual reporting on this preventable crisis. We are confident it has saved lives.

Look for our story on the vote Thursday afternoon.