RFK Jr tells US families to vaccinate children against measles amid outbreak
3 hours ago
- US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr told parents to vaccinate their children against measles, marking a stark contrast with his long history as a vaccination skeptic.
- Measles cases in the US have surged, with 2,371 confirmed infections this year, surpassing last year's total and making the past two years the highest since 1991.
- Kennedy's remarks were extracted by CNN host Dana Bash, who urged him to use his position to encourage vaccination as the new school year approaches.
- Kennedy defended the MMR vaccine, saying it stops measles in about 97% of cases.
- He refused to accept responsibility for the surge, blaming religious communities that eschew vaccines and global health conditions.
- During the interview, Kennedy became combative, attacking the host and spreading further misinformation about RSV, Lyme disease, Tylenol, and COVID-19 vaccines.
- Experts noted that Kennedy's administration has not done enough to promote vaccines, and his stance likely contributed to the rise in cases.