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In West Texas' measles outbreak, families forgo conventional medicine along with vaccines

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Hundreds of families are lining up for measles care amid a fast-growing outbreak in West Texas .

The embrace of unproven remedies shows that many members of the community are eschewing conventional medical approaches.

Dr. Ben Edwards : "We need to help these kids out. Part of that help is by supplying kids and their families with cod liver oil".

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on the planet.

The full scale of the measles outbreak in West Texas isn’t captured by official reports.

A local health food store called Health 2 U. is also a gathering place for members of the community.

The number of hospitalizations is outpacing the state’s official count.

Mennonites in Gaines County bristle at questions about whether they vaccinate their children.

Despite overwhelming evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is safe, both Edwards and Kennedy insist that families should decide for themselves whether to get the shots or not.

A measles expert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met with a local historian to learn more about vaccine attitudes.