In a June 1, 2025 press release, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports locations for possible measles exposure around the state, and the first location listed on the chart is a truck stop in Grand Junction:
So far, CDPHE has confirmed two measles cases in adults in Colorado linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport on May 13. The two cases are in unvaccinated adults who live in El Paso County.
Measles is an extremely contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that can cause serious health problems and even death. The virus is spread extremely easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles is so communicable that infectious droplets can stay in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves it.
Adults have a higher risk of developing complications than children, and one known complication of measles in adults is acute encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, that can result in permanent brain damage.
As a result of wide administration of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, measles was declared eradicated from the U.S. in 2000. Since then, though, measles infections have been increasing, driven by the spread of misinformation about vaccines and reduced vaccination rates since 2020.
Symptoms of the onset of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, rash and red eyes, and can also include pneumonia and diarrhea. Symptoms typically show up 8-12 days after exposure to measles.
The only way to prevent measles is with an MMR vaccine.
If you were at the above truck stop during the exposure window and develop symptoms, contact your doctor right away by phone, or call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to measles. Calling ahead helps prevent additional exposures.
Stop issuing tourism or student visas or residence permits to people who have not been vaccinated or quarantined, as was done during Covid times? As far as I know, it is difficult to get into school as a U.S.-born citizen unless you have these records.
The CDC shows that most measles outbreaks are in South Asia or Africa. Interesting, not many in Central or South America.
The Turkish Airlines flight to DIA is from Istanbul. Along with Norse Atlantic out of Athens, Greece, this is the budget way to fly to USA.
Many people overstay their tourist or student visa with the intent to stay. Most recently, the Molatov chucking Egyptian and his family. El Paso is a sanctuary county.
I am not tying antisemitism to immigrants, as we have enough violence taking place in places like the D.C. holocaust museum. I am also not blaming measles outbreaks on anyone but the non-vaxers. The two transmissive groups that I am aware of are citizen religious objectors or as in this case, infected visitors or tourists. I favor stronger border control to deter the latter.
Speaking of border control, I just now recall that my wife and I drove through the Mexicali border in March 2023 with just a waive from an agent 20 meters away. This was not the Baja zone, no record of my California plated car leaving or re-entering USA… much less my wife on a Latvian passport.