RFK Jr. Gives Xenophobic Reason For Measles Outbreaks In U.S.
HuffPost • • health
Key Points:
- Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. blamed immigrants for recent infectious disease outbreaks in the U.S., deflecting responsibility despite his role in national health policy and his history of opposing vaccines.
- At a House hearing, Rep. Debbie Dingell highlighted rising measles and polio cases and criticized Kennedy for spreading vaccine misinformation, noting that many Americans have stopped vaccinating.
- Kennedy attributed outbreaks to immigration policies and unvaccinated immigrants from countries where diseases like measles are still prevalent, without providing evidence to support his claims.
- Public health experts emphasize that maintaining a 95% vaccination rate is crucial to preventing outbreaks, but U.S. vaccination rates have dropped to 92.5% for the 2024-25 school year, raising concerns about losing measles elimination status.
- Dingell condemned Kennedy’s appointment of vaccine-skeptic officials and warned that misinformation about vaccine safety is contributing to the decline in immunization and increased disease spread.
