The outbreak to this point has led to 1 loss of life and greater than 140 instances.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the brand new U.S. well being secretary, mentioned {that a} measles outbreak in western Texas that has contaminated greater than 100 individuals and led to 1 loss of life is a “high precedence” for his company and mentioned that vaccines shall be offered.
He mentioned that his company, the Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS), would ship Texas 2,000 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine by way of its immunization program.
Moreover, HHS will present “lab assist to higher observe the virus inflicting the outbreak,” will talk “with public well being officers each day in all affected areas to assist their response and guarantee they’ve the assets they want,” and supply communications to native communities in Low German—the language utilized by Mennonites.
“We’ll proceed to fund Texas’ immunization program. Ending the measles outbreak is a high precedence for me and my extraordinary staff at HHS,” Kennedy wrote on the platform.
“As a result of extremely contagious nature of this illness, extra instances are more likely to happen within the outbreak space and the encompassing communities,” the Texas well being division mentioned Feb. 28, including that it’s “working with native well being departments to research the outbreak.”
The virus has largely unfold amongst rural, oil rig-dotted cities in West Texas, with instances concentrated in a “close-knit, under-vaccinated” Mennonite group, state well being division spokesperson Lara Anton mentioned final week.
For years, Kennedy has publicly questioned the efficacy and security of the MMR vaccine that many younger kids need to obtain earlier than attending faculties or daycares, in addition to different childhood vaccines. He has additionally spoken towards states and localities mandating the pictures for kids.
Years earlier, in a 2019 Washington state legislature listening to on a invoice that eliminated private exemptions for households to the MMR vaccine, Kennedy expressed issues over the protection of some childhood vaccines, together with the MMR shot, and alleged that they’re presumably linked to autoimmune issues, autism, ADHD, and different issues.
“Will we wish to power mother and father to dangerous medical interventions with out consent?” he requested. “Will mandating this vaccine trigger extra hurt than good?”
After he was sworn in because the HHS secretary in February, Kennedy vowed to research the childhood vaccine schedule for measles, polio, and different illnesses. “Nothing goes to be off limits,” he mentioned, including that insecticides, meals components, microplastics, antidepressants, and the electromagnetic waves emitted by cellphones and microwaves additionally can be studied.
Kennedy has mentioned that he desires to “make America wholesome once more”—borrowing from President Donald Trump’s marketing campaign slogan “make America nice once more”—by focusing on power well being points which have plagued the US.
The Related Press contributed to this report.