Pima County directs staff to craft mobile‑vaccination plan after measles brief; health officials seek school outreach

Pima County supervisors on March 31 directed county administration and the Health Department to craft a plan — due to the board in 90 days — to deploy mobile vaccination units to schools that report measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage below 95 percent.

Supervisor Matt Hines introduced the item after a Health Department presentation that warned of a rise in U.S. measles cases and described local kindergarten immunization rates that fall short of the 95 percent level public‑health officials say is needed for community protection.

What county health officials said

Dr. Cullen, Pima County’s public‑health official, told the board there were no reported local cases in 2025; the last Pima County case dated to 2019. She said the U.S. had seen multiple outbreaks and that recent national totals were in the low hundreds — and noted two recent deaths in Texas tied to a recent outbreak.

“The best way to protect against measles is vaccination,” Dr. Cullen said, and described targeted steps the health department plans to take: pushing guidance to health‑care providers, distributing letters and guidance in English and Spanish to K–12 schools and childcare centers, and offering on‑site mobile clinics where schools request them.

Key data and staff guidance

- Local coverage: Supervisor Hines told the board the county’s kindergarten MMR coverage averages about 93.7 percent; the board noted that many schools therefore fall below the 95 percent threshold public‑health officials recommend.

- National context: Dr. Cullen summarized U.S. outbreak figures shared with the board and said the department has pushed measles preparedness guidance to local providers and conducted an internal measles preparedness drill in February.

- Strategy: Dr. Cullen said the health department will proactively offer mobile vaccination clinics to any school listed by the state as below the 95 percent threshold. Parental consent is required for pediatric vaccination; clinics can use a standard consent form that families can return in advance or bring on the day of service. The county’s clinics also provide routine immunizations for children regardless of insurance status through the federal Vaccines for Children program.

Board action

Supervisor Hines moved a directive that county administration work with Dr. Cullen and the Health Department to prepare a plan to coordinate mobile vaccination units to schools that request them and to return to the board within 90 days with a timeline and cost estimate; the motion was seconded and adopted 5–0.

What staff will report back

The board asked administration and the health department to return in 90 days with a plan that includes: a list of schools identified as below 95 percent MMR coverage, the cost and logistics of mobile clinic deployment, whether other vaccinations (such as influenza) could be included, and how the program would be funded and sustained.

Why this matters

Public‑health experts and supervisors cited measles’ high contagiousness and the public‑health goal of 95 percent coverage to preserve community protection. County staff said mobile units and targeted school outreach are intended to make vaccination easier for families and to increase protection among children entering congregate settings such as kindergarten.

Next steps

County administration and the Health Department will deliver the requested plan and cost estimate to the Board of Supervisors within 90 days. The board can then consider specific funding or pilot details for the next school year.