Journeys With Jani

I wrote this days ago …the part in RED stayed in my drafts until I had time to clean it up a bit. But today, an 8-year-old girl in Lubbock, Texas, has died from measles, marking the second child lost to this preventable disease in the state recently. 

The outbreak in Texas has now reached 481 confirmed cases since late January, with 56 hospitalizations.  Neighboring states like New Mexico and Oklahoma are also reporting cases linked to this surge. 

In response, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously expressed skepticism about vaccines, visited the affected area and is now advocating for the MMR vaccine to curb the outbreak. 

This tragic loss underscores the critical importance of vaccinations. Measles isn’t just a rash and a fever; it can lead to severe complications and, as we’ve seen, can be fatal. The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect our children and communities from such outcomes. Let’s honor the memories of those we’ve lost by taking action to prevent further tragedies.

I wasn’t planning on pulling up a soapbox today, but here we are. There’s a new outbreak of measles making headlines across the U.S., and it’s got my travel advisor brain and momma heart on high alert. I’ve got grandbabies, clients crossing borders daily, and a whole lotta love for common sense.

So let’s talk—kindly but directly—about this mess and the role vaccines play in keeping us safe.

Wait, Measles? Didn’t We Handle That?

Yes. We did. Or at least we thought we had. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. back in 2000. That meant it wasn’t spreading within our communities anymore, thanks to widespread vaccination. But lately? It’s popping up again—coast to coast. Airports, schools, even tourist destinations.

And here’s the kicker: it’s not that the measles virus got stronger. It’s that our immunity got weaker. Too many people are unvaccinated, and measles is one of the most contagious viruses on the planet. You don’t have to be elbow-to-elbow with someone to catch it—just breathing the same air an infected person did up to two hours earlier can do the trick. Yikes.

Why This Matters (Especially If You Love to Travel)

As a travel advisor, I see folks jetting off to amazing places every day—Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, you name it. But many of those destinations still struggle with measles outbreaks.

Even one unvaccinated traveler can bring it home.

It’s not just a health issue—it can throw a big ol’ wrench into travel plans, too. Some countries even require proof of vaccination or won’t let you in at all if there’s an outbreak. Imagine planning your dream trip, only to be turned away at the border. No thank you.

Vaccines Work. Period.

Now, before anyone gets riled up—yes, I know vaccines have stirred up controversy. I know people have questions, fears, and stories. I’m not here to bully anyone or pretend this is a black-and-white issue for every single person. But I am here to say this:

The overwhelming body of science supports vaccines as safe, effective, and vital to public health.

I’m also old enough to remember when kids got measles, mumps, and rubella—and it wasn’t a rite of passage. It was dangerous. Some never fully recovered. Some didn’t make it. We created vaccines so families wouldn’t have to go through that heartbreak anymore.

Let’s Be Smart, Not Scared

We live in a time where misinformation spreads faster than a virus, but so does knowledge—if we’re open to it. Talk to your doctor. Ask questions. Get answers from credible sources, not Facebook fear spirals. And if your child can be safely vaccinated? Please, do it. You’re not just protecting your family—you’re protecting babies, elders, cancer patients, and others who can’t get vaccinated.

Final Word

Listen, I don’t care if you breastfed, bottle-fed, co-slept, or Ferberized. I don’t care if you use essential oils, wear crystals, or swear by Tylenol. What I do care about is community, safety, and compassion. And right now, choosing vaccines when you can is one way we show up for each other.

Let’s keep the world open—for travel, for connection, for the next generation. And let’s keep measles where it belongs: in the history books.

Stay safe. Stay curious. And don’t forget to pack your vaccine card, y’all.

XOXO, Jani