By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A measles outbreak has hit the Short Creek community, located on the Utah-Arizona border, with 161 confirmed cases. This is the second-largest outbreak in the U.S. this year, fueled by low vaccination rates, similar to the West Texas outbreak impacting Mennonites. The community’s history includes government raids, a former leader (Warren Jeffs) who spread misinformation about vaccines, and the disruption of health care systems, which has contributed to vaccine hesitancy. However, as the outbreak continues, there has been a noticeable increase in vaccination rates, demonstrating a shift in attitudes towards immunization within Short Creek.
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This tight-knit community was recovering from a cultlike leader. Then measles got in. That sums it up pretty bluntly, doesn’t it? A community, trying to pick up the pieces after the arrest of a leader who, it’s fair to say, had a cult-like grip. A community that had been, for lack of a better word, ravaged by the teachings of someone who exploited and abused his position. You’d think they would be extra cautious about anything that could harm their people, especially their children. But here we are, facing a preventable disease. It’s hard not to feel a surge of frustration when a situation like this unfolds.
Of course, the initial reaction might be to wonder, how could this happen? The comments suggest that many residents of the area have a fundamental distrust of modern medicine. Perhaps they’ve bought into the notion that they know better than doctors, that they have access to some secret knowledge that the rest of the world lacks. The leader, now incarcerated, sowed the seeds of this distrust, spreading misinformation about vaccines that has taken root and grown into a serious public health risk. It’s a sad irony, isn’t it? The same manipulative playbook, just with a different consequence. The community, still grappling with the trauma of its past, now faces another crisis.
The situation is further complicated by the closed-off nature of this community. “Tight-knit” can often be a euphemism for “no dissent allowed”. It’s a place where opposing viewpoints are swiftly silenced, where individuality is sacrificed for the sake of group cohesion. This insularity is a breeding ground for misinformation and fear, creating an environment where a vaccine can be viewed with suspicion, even outright hostility. This isolation is a major factor, allowing for the rapid spread of diseases within the community, especially among vulnerable children.
It’s worth mentioning that the community in question, Hildale/Colorado City, is essentially a fundamentalist Mormon compound. This is not just a group of people with differing views; it’s a culture steeped in tradition and often resistant to outside influence. Child marriage and polygamy, it’s been said, are common practices there, so the usual public health norms get tossed aside as well. The implications of this are far-reaching, especially when one considers the implications of inbreeding and reduced access to medical care and education. It also perpetuates a cycle of control, where women are often denied agency over their own bodies and futures.
The comments also paint a picture of a place where escape is difficult, and reintegration into the outside world is even harder. Those who have left describe years of brainwashing that’s difficult to undo. This is a place where the local authorities are often intertwined with the cult’s beliefs, making it difficult for anyone to find assistance. It’s a system designed to maintain control, where individuals, particularly women, are deprived of education and information to limit their choices. It’s a painful reality.
The arrival of measles in this kind of environment is more than just a public health issue. It is a symptom of a deeper problem, a consequence of systemic distrust, and a refusal to acknowledge scientific truths. It is a harsh reminder that the past has a long reach.
The comments suggest there’s a real challenge in figuring out what to do. The government stepping in to enforce vaccinations is a complicated political issue, yet the need for public health intervention is evident. It seems this community continues to need some kind of support. If, as some have said, they were just waiting for their leader to return, there will be no improvement. The priority needs to be helping people understand the risks and how to protect themselves. The measles outbreak is a stark reminder of the consequences of those choices.