Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who sworn in as secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, about 19 days ago, reacted to the recent measles outbreak in Texas, which claimed one life so far, and infected 158. Though the HHS secretary noted the importance of vaccination to prevent measles, health experts believe, he likely downplayed it. RFK Jr., who has been a vaccine skeptic, wrote in an editorial published in Fox News on Sunday that vaccine “is crucial to avoiding potentially deadly disease.” However, he also stated that the decision to vaccinate is one’s choice.
“Parents play a pivotal role in safeguarding their children’s health. All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. 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,” RFK Jr. wrote. This comes amidst the FDA canceled a key meeting to select next season’s flu vaccines.
The HHS secretary’s focus on vitamins to treat measles amid the worst outbreak has also raised concerns. Kennedy stated that a good diet is crucial to fight infectious diseases. “Good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious diseases. Vitamins A, C, and D, and foods rich in vitamins B12, C, and E should be part of a balanced diet.,” he wrote. He endorsed Vitamin A for measles.
“While there is no approved antiviral for those who may be infected, CDC has recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.”
RFK Jr. calling vaccination a ‘personal choice’ and backing vitamin A to treat it, amidst the worst outbreak has caused concerns, especially considering that the majority of the measles-infected individuals are unvaccinated.
158 measles cases have been confirmed in Texas, as of Tuesday. A ‘school-aged’ young child, who was unvaccinated died on Feb. 26. This is the first measles death in the country since 2015.
A highly contagious disease, measles is caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The effective preventive measure is vaccination according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
