Measles Outbreak Brings Much-Needed Common Ground in Highly Private Community
In the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, known collectively as Short Creek, the measles outbreak has become a rare unifying force for the tight-knit community. The usually private residents have been brought together by their shared struggle against the highly contagious disease.
Measles spread rapidly in the area despite initial hesitancy to receive vaccinations. In fact, prior to the outbreak, vaccination rates had plummeted due to a concerted effort by the local community's influential leaders, including former polygamous leader Warren Jeffs, who preached that vaccines contained harmful substances.
Residents of Short Creek were raised with an anti-vaccination ethos, largely stemming from the teachings of Warren Jeffs. As such, many people in the area were hesitant to get vaccinated. However, this hesitation has been rapidly eroded as the measles outbreak deepened and more people began to fall ill.
Mayor Donia Jessop credits this rapid shift towards vaccination with her office's efforts. "We've seen a sharp increase in vaccinations since the outbreak started," she said. "It's heartening to see that our community is coming together on this issue."
While it remains to be seen how long the trend of increased vaccinations will continue, experts believe that the growing awareness and acceptance of vaccination has been significantly influenced by the outbreak.
Public health officials are working tirelessly to educate residents about the importance of getting vaccinated. According to Aaron Hunt, a public health expert with the Utah State University Extension Program, "Parents are trying to do what they think is best for their child," but misinformation surrounding vaccines has led many to be fearful of even rare side effects.
However, experts assure that vaccination schedules are thoroughly researched and designed to provide the most robust protection in the fewest number of shots. In fact, a 14% increase in vaccinations was recorded in the area between July and September of this year, compared to the same period in 2024.
It is clear that the measles outbreak has brought much-needed common ground for the residents of Short Creek. As Gloria Steed, a former FLDS member who now sees firsthand the benefits of vaccination, said, "The vaccines are working. It's been a blessing to see."
In the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, known collectively as Short Creek, the measles outbreak has become a rare unifying force for the tight-knit community. The usually private residents have been brought together by their shared struggle against the highly contagious disease.
Measles spread rapidly in the area despite initial hesitancy to receive vaccinations. In fact, prior to the outbreak, vaccination rates had plummeted due to a concerted effort by the local community's influential leaders, including former polygamous leader Warren Jeffs, who preached that vaccines contained harmful substances.
Residents of Short Creek were raised with an anti-vaccination ethos, largely stemming from the teachings of Warren Jeffs. As such, many people in the area were hesitant to get vaccinated. However, this hesitation has been rapidly eroded as the measles outbreak deepened and more people began to fall ill.
Mayor Donia Jessop credits this rapid shift towards vaccination with her office's efforts. "We've seen a sharp increase in vaccinations since the outbreak started," she said. "It's heartening to see that our community is coming together on this issue."
While it remains to be seen how long the trend of increased vaccinations will continue, experts believe that the growing awareness and acceptance of vaccination has been significantly influenced by the outbreak.
Public health officials are working tirelessly to educate residents about the importance of getting vaccinated. According to Aaron Hunt, a public health expert with the Utah State University Extension Program, "Parents are trying to do what they think is best for their child," but misinformation surrounding vaccines has led many to be fearful of even rare side effects.
However, experts assure that vaccination schedules are thoroughly researched and designed to provide the most robust protection in the fewest number of shots. In fact, a 14% increase in vaccinations was recorded in the area between July and September of this year, compared to the same period in 2024.
It is clear that the measles outbreak has brought much-needed common ground for the residents of Short Creek. As Gloria Steed, a former FLDS member who now sees firsthand the benefits of vaccination, said, "The vaccines are working. It's been a blessing to see."
. The measles outbreak has indeed brought some much-needed unity to a community that was notoriously private and insular. I think it's interesting how the outbreak has forced residents to reevaluate their stance on vaccinations, especially given the high risk of complications associated with the disease.
. It highlights the importance of public health education and efforts to counter misinformation about vaccines. I'm also glad to hear that former FLDS members like Gloria Steed are now advocating for the benefits of vaccination, bringing some much-needed diversity of perspective to the conversation.
. While it's still early days and the trend is not yet a guarantee, I'm optimistic that this shift towards vaccination will have long-term benefits for the residents of Short Creek and public health more broadly 
.
The measles outbreak in Short Creek is like a wake-up call for those residents 
, they're about protecting YOU and your fam 
. It's crazy how one tiny thing can bring people together 
. I'm loving all the positivity around this outbreak 
! People are finally seeing that vaccines are a good thing 
. Let's keep spreading awareness and get more people vaccinated 
. I mean, we all know how toxic some of those anti-vaxxers can be on the internet. But hey, at least they were forced to put aside their differences and get vaccinated, right? It's not like the outbreak was just a coincidence or anything... it's definitely good that public health officials are getting their message out there 
. I'm glad to see some former FLDS members like Gloria Steed speaking out about the importance of vaccines - it's always better to hear from people who've been on the other side 
. But let's not get too comfortable, folks - we still need to stay vigilant and make sure everyone gets their shots 
!
[GIF of a vaccine syringe with an "X" marked through it]
[Meme of Warren Jeffs with a sheepish expression, holding up a vaccination certificate]
. It just goes to show that when we work together and get educated on the facts, we can overcome some pretty ridiculous misinformation 
. The community coming together is definitely a silver lining in an otherwise messy situation 
. Now if only they could fix the forum issues I'm having with all the spam comments... Ugh, can't even have a decent conversation without getting bogged down by trolls 
!
I can see why they were hesitant at first with the misinformation and all that jazz. But now it looks like they're seeing some benefits from getting vaccinated 
. We should be supporting communities like this in their efforts to stay healthy! 
. lets keep spreading awareness and making progress 
. I mean, it's rare for a community as private and tight-knit as Short Creek to come together over something like this. And yeah, the vaccine misinformation thing has been super problematic. It's great to see Mayor Jessop's office taking charge and pushing vaccination rates up. 
The fact that there was initial hesitancy b4 is just crazy 2 think about, but now people r getting educated & prioritizing their families' safety 
Vaccination rates r going up, which is EVERYTHING!!! 
. The fact that vaccination rates have increased so quickly is super encouraging 
As soon as those cases started piling up, it was clear that change had to happen. And I gotta give props to Mayor Jessop for stepping up and doing some real work to educate people about the importance of vaccinations 
!
people were super private and anti-vax but now they're getting vaccinated left and right 