Health secretary earlier said outbreak was ‘not unusual’ but with first US measles death in decade steps up response

Two days after initially downplaying the outbreak as “not unusual,” the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, on Friday said he recognizes the serious impact of the ongoing measles epidemic in Texas – in which a child died recently – and said the government is providing resources, including protective vaccines.

“Ending the measles outbreak is a top priority for me and my extraordinary team,” Kennedy – an avowed anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist who for years has sown doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines – said in a post on X.

Kennedy said his federal Department of Health and Human Services would send Texas 2,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine – typically meant to be given to children in a series of two shots at 12 to 15 months old as well as between the ages of four and six years old – through its immunization program.

  • Lukas MurchEnglish
    45·
    2 days ago

    He’s coming around, boys. I think we’re going to be ok.

    • Mbourgon everywhere@lemmy.world
      11·
      2 days ago

      I think you’re overly optimistic here. Samoa was only 6 years ago.

      Remember this anytime you see this fuck say anything about “it’s for the children”. His group encouraged them not to vaccinate, and then:

      “Months after Kennedy’s visit, the question of what would happen to Samoa’s unvaccinated babies was answered. A measles outbreak swept the country, sickening thousands and killing 83, mostly small children. As measles raged, Kennedy stayed connected to the island, writing to the prime minister to raise concerns about the vaccine and providing medical guidance to a local anti-vaccine activist who posted false claims about the vaccination campaign and promoted unproven alternative cures.”