A Shift in Stance Amid a Growing Crisis
Texas measles outbreak vaccine: RFK Jr. urges Americans to get vaccinated as cases rise in Texas.
This statement marks a notable shift for Kennedy, who has long raised skepticism about vaccines. In a Fox News op-ed, he called the outbreak a “call to action” and highlighted the importance of the MMR vaccine in preventing severe cases.
The Severity of the Texas Measles Outbreak
At least 146 cases have been reported across the South Plains and Panhandle since January, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Tragically, a school-aged child in Lubbock—who was unvaccinated—died from the highly contagious virus.
The outbreak comes at a time when vaccination rates are dropping and trust in public health institutions is declining.
Kennedy Acknowledges Vaccine Benefits
In his op-ed, Kennedy noted that before the MMR vaccine’s introduction in the 1960s, nearly every U.S. child contracted measles. He cited data from 1953 to 1962, showing an average of 530,217 cases per year and 440 deaths.
“Vaccines not only protect individual children but also contribute to community immunity,” he wrote.
Despite this, he maintained that vaccination remains a personal choice, a stance that aligns with his past rhetoric.
Issues With Public Health Communications
Kennedy’s current statements go counter to his earlier ones from last week, when he seemed to minimize the epidemic by referring to these instances as “not unusual.”
His prior dissemination of false information about vaccines, according to his detractors, has lowered vaccination rates and raised the possibility of outbreaks similar to the one that occurred in Texas.
Officials in Public Health Call for Action
The MMR vaccination is safe and very successful, preventing 97% of measles cases with two doses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Texas health officials.
Health experts continue to emphasize that broad vaccination is necessary to stop the measles outbreak from spreading further as it becomes worse.
Source: Axios
