vaccine skeptic RFK Jr supports measles jab amid deadly US outbreak
An unvaccinated child died at the end of February in Texas – the first death from measles in a decade – as the highly contagious disease is spreading in the southwestern part of the country.
US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a noted vaccine critic, voiced support on Sunday, March 2, for the measles jab, as an outbreak of the disease spreads in the country’s southwest. An unvaccinated child died in late February in the state of Texas in the first US fatality from the highly contagious disease in a decade.
Recently confirmed as health secretary, Kennedy has previously made numerous false and misleading claims about the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and had downplayed the growing outbreak, saying annual outbreaks were “not unusual.”You can share an article by clicking on the share icons at the top right of it.
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But on Sunday, Kennedy said he was “deeply concerned about the recent measles outbreak,” in an opinion piece published by Fox News. “Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,” he wrote.
However, he said “the decision to vaccinate is a personal one,” and urged all parents to “consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine.” He said he had directed federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to provide support to Texas health authorities.
Staffing cuts
The CDC and other health agencies have faced staffing cuts in recent weeks as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping overhaul of the federal government. Kennedy said health workers, officials and communities were responsible for “ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated” and making “vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them.” Kennedy has dismissed critics who say he is anti-vaccine, claiming his views were mischaracterized and insisting he was advocating for “common sense” policies.
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