Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS), stated the measles outbreak in west Texas is a “call to action,” as he inspired mother and father to contemplate whether or not to get their kids vaccinated.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, stated the choice to vaccinate is “personal” however defended the efficacy of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, saying it’s “crucial to avoiding potentially deadly disease.”
“All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine,” Kennedy wrote in an op-ed printed on Fox Information Digital.
“The decision to vaccinate is a personal one,” he continued. “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.”
Kennedy, within the op-ed, stated healthcare suppliers, neighborhood leaders, and policymakers “have a shared responsibility to protect public health,” including, “This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated.”
“We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them,” he added.
Kennedy outlined knowledge connecting the illness and the vaccine: He famous that, of the 146 instances of measles, 79 instances are in unvaccinated people, 62 instances are in people with unknown vaccination statuses, and 5 instances are in vaccinated people.
He added: “Good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses.”
“The measles outbreak in Texas is a call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health,” he stated, including, “Under my leadership, HHS is and will always be committed to radical transparency to regain the public’s trust in its health agencies.”
The op-ed comes as almost 150 measles instances have been confirmed in west Texas, the place a baby this previous week grew to become the primary individual to die of measles within the U.S. since 2015.
The outbreak has unfold in an space with a big neighborhood of Mennonites, a lot of whom reject typical drugs comparable to vaccines, although the church itself doesn’t maintain an anti-vaccine stance. It additionally comes amid an increase in vaccine skepticism.
The MMR vaccine is required for most youngsters within the U.S. getting into kindergarten in public colleges, however Texas permits kids to get exemptions from the requirement for non secular or different conscience-related causes. Consequently, the share of youngsters with exemptions in Texas has risen from 0.76 p.c in 2014 to 2.32 p.c in 2024, The Related Press reported, citing state knowledge.
In Gaines County, almost 14 p.c of schoolchildren opted out of not less than one required vaccine within the 2023-24 college yr, in line with the AP. One college district was discovered to have a Ok-12 vaccine exemption price of 47.95 p.c.
The New York Publish lately known as on Kennedy to go to Texas to advocate for the vaccine, because the outbreak continued to develop.
“Go to Texas, Mr. Secretary, and preach the truth as only a convert can: This vaccine is safe, and getting children jabbed is an act of love,” the Publish wrote to Kennedy. “That’s why all your children are vaccinated, despite your well-known concerns.”
Such a proclamation, the Publish argued, would make nationwide information given Kennedy’s historical past of vaccine skepticism, and would “surely convince others elsewhere — and so quietly save lives.”
The Publish is owned by billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who additionally owns The Wall Road Journal, one other publication that has known as on Kennedy to alter his views on vaccines.
