By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews.com
There’s a new — and unwelcome — visitor in Texas’ 3rd Congressional District. No, it’s not another Frisco luxury development or a new round of road construction headaches.
It’s measles.
This past week, Collin County Health Care Services confirmed three local cases tied to a wider outbreak that’s hammering parts of West Texas and even spilling across state lines into New Mexico and Oklahoma. Local health officials quickly released a May 27 public alert naming four McKinney locations — 24 Hour Fitness, Moviehouse & Eatery, Cubana Grille, and Market Street — where the infected person might have exposed others between May 19–22.
Residents who were at those places during the listed times are now urged to monitor for symptoms like high fever, rash, and cough through June 12. The county’s message was clear: if you’re unvaccinated or immunocompromised, talk to your doctor now — measles is no joke.
But you know who’s been strangely quiet about this?
Congressman Keith Self.
Where’s the Congressman?
Around the time local officials posted the measles exposure alert, Rep. Keith Self was busy on X (formerly Twitter) — but not addressing Collin County families.
Instead, Self found time to post about how the media is unfairly attacking the Trump administration, how George Soros (the right wing’s favorite go-to boogeyman) is supposedly behind election interference, and how Townhall columns defending “free speech” are worth amplifying.
But when it comes to the confirmed measles exposure alert in his own district? Silence.
That raises some fair questions for TX-03’s top representative:
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Why hasn’t Self issued a statement reassuring Collin County families?
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Where’s the outreach to local health officials, school districts, or community leaders?
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Shouldn’t public health — especially when it hits close to home — be part of a Congressman’s leadership role?
Sure, federal politicians don’t run local health departments. But leadership is about showing up when it matters. Voters across McKinney, Plano, Allen, Princeton, and Frisco deserve to know their representative is paying attention to the issues right here at home.
Why Does This Matter?
Let’s be clear: measles isn’t some forgotten 19th-century disease. It’s highly contagious, can linger in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves, and can lead to hospitalization or worse — especially for young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised residents.
With three local cases and more than 700 reported in Texas so far this year (including two deaths), this outbreak is part of a broader public health challenge.
Local health officials, school nurses, pediatricians, and civic groups are doing the hard work on the ground. But public trust matters too — and right now, the loudest political voice in TX-03 is oddly silent.
What Should You Do?
✅ If you were at the listed McKinney locations during the exposure dates and are unvaccinated, pregnant, or immunocompromised: call your doctor immediately.
✅ Watch for symptoms — fever, rash, cough, red eyes — through June 12.
✅ Make sure your family’s MMR vaccinations are up to date.
✅ Follow updates from Collin County Health Care Services at collincountytx.gov and the CDC at cdc.gov/measles.
Final Thought
TX-03 is one of the fastest-growing, most dynamic districts in Texas. Our residents deserve leaders who pay attention to all the issues — not just the ones that make for national headlines or political point-scoring.
Congressman Self, we know you can fire off sharp social media posts — but how about a message for the families right here at home?
We reached out to Rep. Self’s office for comment on the measles exposure but had not received a response as of publication. If his office replies, we will update this story with his remarks.
TX3DNews will keep covering the story — because accountability begins in your own zip code.