5 Things to Know About the World Cup and Illness Prevention 

Written By Charles Lea

By: Nicole Lea, RN, MSN, CPNP

Planning is a core competency of any nurse!  From the earliest days of nursing school, we are taught to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate. When we hear the term “ADPIE,” we  nod knowingly. 

These skills are developed over time and apply not only to individual patients, but also to entire communities and populations.

Having spent more than 25 years in healthcare as a nurse, nurse practitioner, and now a quality and safety expert, these ways of thinking have become second nature to me. We recently celebrated Nurses Week, and I found myself reflecting on how beautiful the profession of nursing truly is:

  • caring for people

  • preparing wisely

  • preventing harm when possible

  • helping others navigate uncertainty with compassion and truth.

Nursing is a blessing and a vocation of service to others and I am deeply grateful to now use these abilities through Hello Eema. As I reflected on my experience as a nurse, I was reminded of the important role nurses have to provide sound recommendations rooted in science and desire to care for others.  

Living in Houston and working in the largest medical complex in the world is extraordinary! The diversity enriches our lives and knowledge to best care for people. On Friday, I was sitting in a meeting in the Texas Medical Center when tiny bottles of hand sanitizer, small enough to slip into a pocket or purse, were being passed around. Suddenly, memories of preparing for COVID-19 came flooding back to me! At the time, I was working at Texas Children's Hospital and was fortunate to be among the first in Houston to receive the vaccine - a gift that I am still grateful for. 

Now, as Houston prepares to host the upcoming FIFA World Cup, the excitement across the city is palpable.

Roads are being repaired.
Bridges are being painted.
Older buildings are being removed.
Hotels are being renovated.

Plans for a central fan festival, neighborhood watch parties, restaurant events, and celebrations throughout the city are already underway. The World Cup only comes around once every four years, and the last time it was hosted in the United States was in 1994.

The enthusiasm is contagious.

And that also leads me and other healthcare professionals to another reality we must thoughtfully consider while preparing for fun:

Contagious illnesses.

Good planning means preparing not only for celebration, but also for the realities that come with millions of people traveling across the globe.

As healthcare professionals and public health experts assess the current landscape, there is increasing concern surrounding vaccine-preventable illnesses due to declining vaccination rates in many areas of the world. 

Measles remains the illness of greatest concern because of how extraordinarily contagious it is. However, illnesses such as pertussis (whooping cough) and influenza are also expected to increase, especially with respiratory viruses continuing to circulate and vaccination rates continuing to decline in many communities.

Before you continue reading, I encourage you to read prayerfully and thoughtfully guided by gifts of the Holy Spirit instead of through fear or politics. 

James 1:5 reminds us:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.”

Because when it comes to preparing for the World Cup, there are realities we need to honestly and lovingly consider.

1. Planning Ahead Is Wise, Not Fearful

Good planning is not panic. Planning is wisdom put into action.

We are accustomed to planning for exciting events and also preparing wisely for realities such as school safety. Preparing for infectious illnesses during a massive international event is no different.

The scale of the upcoming FIFA World Cup is unlike anything we have seen in recent years. Current projections estimate that the tournament could bring more than 6 million attendees across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with approximately 1.2 million international visitors traveling into the United States alone.

Houston expects half a million people to be added to the already full city!

With millions of people moving through airports, hotels, restaurants, stadiums, and public transportation systems, healthcare experts are carefully planning for the increased spread of contagious illnesses.

This is not fear-based thinking. It is thoughtful preparation.

2. Measles Is Not “Just a Rash”

Many people today have never actually seen measles because vaccination efforts dramatically reduced the disease over the past several decades.

But measles is far more serious than many realize.

The virus attacks the body systemically and can cause:

  • high fevers,

  • severe rash,

  • pneumonia,

  • dehydration,

  • ear infections,

  • encephalitis (brain swelling),

  • hospitalization, and even death.

Before the measles vaccine became available in 1963, an estimated 3–4 million people in the United States were infected every year. Approximately 48,000 people were hospitalized annually, 1,000 developed encephalitis, and 400–500 people died each year.

Decades of research involving hundreds of thousands of children across multiple countries have repeatedly shown no causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism. Correlation in timing does not mean causation. One often overlooked reality is that developmental and neurological conditions are commonly recognized and diagnosed between ages 2 and 5—the same years children receive the MMR vaccine. Because these timelines overlap, it can understandably create fear and confusion for parents searching for answers. At the same time, the measles virus itself can cause serious neurological complications, including encephalitis, seizures, hearing loss, and long-term brain injury. It is important that we base decisions on truth, sound science, and honest realities rather than fear alone.

Measles also weakens the immune system, leaving children vulnerable to dangerous secondary infections. This is the reality of the disease itself.

3. Pertussis and Influenza Are Also Important to Consider

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is also expected to rise as vaccination rates decline. Pertussis is especially dangerous for infants and medically fragile children because it can cause severe respiratory distress, pneumonia, hospitalization, and death.

Influenza also continues to pose serious risks each year, especially to:

  • infants,

  • older adults,

  • pregnant women,

  • and individuals with chronic medical conditions.

As international travel increases and respiratory illnesses continue circulating throughout communities, healthcare systems are actively preparing for the possibility of increased respiratory illness spread during and after the World Cup season.

Again, preparation is not panic.
Preparation is wisdom.

4. This Is Not Only an Individual Decision—It Is Also a Communal One

1 Corinthians 12:26–27 reminds us:

“If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.”

One of the most important realities to remember is that not every child or adult can safely receive vaccines.

Some individuals are medically unable to be vaccinated because they are:

  • receiving chemotherapy,

  • recovering from transplantation,

  • living with severe immune suppression,

  • or medically fragile for other reasons.

For these individuals, illnesses like measles, influenza, and pertussis are not simply uncomfortable. They can be deadly. 

As Christians, especially as Catholics, we believe we belong to one another. This is why vaccination discussions are communal ones.

Many faithful Catholics have sincere concerns regarding the historical use of fetal cell lines in vaccine development, and those concerns deserve compassion and honesty. The Catholic Church has clearly taught that abortion is gravely wrong and does not support the development of new vaccines using newly aborted fetal tissue.

At the same time, the Church also recognizes the moral complexity of the current reality. Because the historical cell lines are now many generations removed from the original tissue and because there are often no alternative vaccines available, the Church teaches that receiving these vaccines are morally permissible and even part of our ethical responsibility to protect vulnerable human life and promote the common good.

5. Don’t Forget the Basics: Preventing Dehydration Matters Too

While much of the conversation surrounding large international events focuses on infectious illness, we also cannot overlook basic health and safety realities like dehydration, especially in Houston heat and humidity!

Many World Cup events, watch parties, festivals, and outdoor gatherings will take place during the summer months when temperatures can be dangerously high. Excitement, walking long distances, crowded venues, and long hours outdoors can quickly lead to dehydration in both adults and children.

As a nurse, one of the simplest but most important things I have learned is this: prevention matters.

Simple planning can make a tremendous difference:

  • carry a refillable water bottle,

  • encourage children to drink fluids regularly, every sip matters

  • take cooling breaks indoors,

  • wear lightweight clothing,

  • and pay attention to early signs of dehydration such as fatigue, dizziness, headache, dry lips, irritability, or decreased urination.

Infants, young children, older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic medical conditions are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness and dehydration.

Planning ahead is not about fear.
It is about caring wisely for ourselves and one another so we can safely enjoy the celebration, community, and joy that events like the World Cup bring.

Most importantly, always remember: God Reigns

2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us:

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear but rather of power and love and self-control.”

And Psalm 47:8–9 says:

“God reigns over the nations; God sits upon his holy throne. The princes of the peoples are gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham.”

No illness, no diagnosis, no suffering, and no fear will ever remove God from His throne.

Whether your family chooses vaccination or not, please know this: I sincerely pray for you and your children. I pray they remain healthy, protected, and flourishing.

Most importantly, I pray your decisions are made through truth, wisdom, discernment, and peace, never fear. Fear does not lead us well. The Holy Spirit does.

As Houston, and cities across North America prepare, to welcome the nations of the world, may we also prepare wisely, thoughtfully, prayerfully, and lovingly for one another. We are all God’s children, and we are called to care for ourselves and each other, and to protect the most vulnerable among us.

May we live out our gift of wisdom by planning ahead. 

And YES, we are also called to celebrate, gather, travel, and have fun!

For more practical tips and spiritual encouragement, check out our first book: Nurturing Whole Health: You, Your Baby and God in the First Year. 

Written from the perspective of a pediatric nurse practitioner and mother, this article blends evidence-based pediatric guidance with faith-centered encouragement to support families during the Christmas season.

Hello Eema’s Mission

Rooted in faith, healthcare expertise, and motherhood, Hello Eema exists to encourage and empower moms to nurture whole health—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—for themselves and their families.

The name Eema comes from what Jesus calls Mary in The Chosen. It’s a tender reminder that we’re all beloved daughters of God, following in our Heavenly Mother’s footsteps. “Hello” is our greeting of recognition and hope: You are seen and not alone.

Join us at Hello Eemaand know we’re honored to walk with you.

Nurturing Whole Health…Uniting faith and clinical wisdom to help moms confidently care for God’s children. 

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

Scripture passages and reflections referenced from The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE),

References

Charles Lea
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