(The Hill) – Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because the “only” solution to forestall the unfold of measles throughout a go to to Texas with the household of an 8-year-old lady who died from the illness.
“I got here to Gaines County, Texas, at the moment to consolation the Hildebrand household after the lack of their 8-year-old daughter Daisy,” Kennedy mentioned in a submit on the social platform X. “My intention was to come back down right here quietly to console the households and to be with the group of their second of grief.”
Kennedy mentioned he provided Texas well being officers the federal authorities’s sources and touted the MMR vaccine.
“The simplest solution to forestall the unfold of measles is the MMR vaccine,” Kennedy wrote in his submit. “I’ve spoken to Governor Abbott, and I’ve provided HHS’ continued assist. At his request, now we have redeployed CDC groups to Texas. We are going to proceed to comply with Texas’ lead and to supply comparable sources to different affected jurisdictions.”
The reported loss of life in Texas can be the second in america from measles since 2015. The New York Instances reported that the kid died early Thursday morning of “measles pulmonary failure” and mentioned the Texas hospital confirmed the kid was unvaccinated and didn’t have any underlying well being situations.
The primary youngster to die from the outbreak was in late February. On the time, Kennedy, who has a historical past of vaccine skepticism, appeared to downplay considerations concerning the significance of the outbreak.
“We’re following the measles epidemic day-after-day,” Kennedy mentioned on the time. “By the way, there have been 4 measles outbreaks this yr on this nation. Final yr, there have been 16. So it is common, now we have measles outbreaks yearly.”
Kennedy has additionally confronted criticism for his response to the outbreak, with some arguing he has not been sufficiently vocal concerning the efficacy and security of the vaccine.
