The US measles outbreak has risen to 258 cases across Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, prompting state health departments to urge more people to get vaccinated. However, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has downplayed the safety of the vaccine, suggesting that it may not provide lifelong immunity.
Kennedy stated that the vaccine is effective for some people for life but wanes in many others, causing outbreaks. Experts disagree on this, with Dr. Paul Offit saying that if the vaccine’s protection didn’t last, measles wouldn’t have been declared eliminated in the US in 2000.
Experts also point out that even those with waning immunity will not transmit large amounts of virus, and the body’s immune system can still fight infections long after vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an average of 179 cases per year since measles was declared eliminated, with most years seeing at least 60% of reported cases tied to outbreaks.
The debate centers on natural immunity versus vaccine-induced immunity, with experts arguing that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks. Dr. Peter Hotez said the MMR vaccine is “incredibly safe” and noted that anti-vaccine activists focus on rare side effects while ignoring the horrific effects of measles itself.
In reality, severe side effects from vaccination are extremely rare, with common side effects being low-grade fever and temporary rash. The CDC reported no evidence to suggest a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and death.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/12/health/measles-rfk-vaccine-immunity/index.html