US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. travelled to Gaines County, Texas, on Sunday, coinciding with the funeral of a second unvaccinated child who succumbed to measles. This visit aimed to support grieving families in the midst of a worsening measles outbreak that reportedly began in late January and has now amassed nearly 500 cases. The outbreak is not only confined to Texas but has also spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Mexico.
Kennedy expressed his commitment to “controlling the outbreak” in a social media post. While he visited the Mennonite church where the funeral took place, he refrained from attending a concurrent news conference led by the CDC. The latest child fatality, aged just eight, was reported to have died from measles pulmonary failure, as confirmed by the Texas State Department of State Health Services. This tragic incident marks the third measles-related death linked to the outbreak, including another child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico, all of whom were unvaccinated.
Kennedy’s visit was significant as it was his first as health secretary. He mentioned forming connections with the local Mennonite community, significantly impacted by the outbreak. As an historical advocate against vaccination, he’s been slow to advocate for widespread vaccinations, although he acknowledged in a recent statement that vaccination is the most effective prevention method against measles.
The CDC’s Manisha Patel reiterated the importance of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which has been safely administered for over sixty years and boasts a 97% efficacy rate after two doses. Parents were encouraged to seek immediate medical advice if their child displays symptoms. The urgency escalated from a recent increase of 81 cases within just a week, further reflecting a troubling national trend with measles cases more than doubling compared to the previous year’s total.
As vaccination rates among children continue to decline across the United States, there are fears that the country may lose its status as having eliminated this once-rare disease. The measles virus is highly contagious, capable of surviving airborne for over two hours, and poses a significant risk to unvaccinated individuals. Vaccination for children is advised at 12 to 15 months, with a follow-up dose between four and six years of age. As tensions rise over the safety of children in the midst of this outbreak, the call for increased vigilance in vaccination practices becomes paramount.