Health officials are criticizing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current US health secretary, for his response to the ongoing measles outbreak. The CDC initially delayed issuing a letter outlining how medical professionals could help stop the spread of the illness until last week.
Kennedy’s efforts to contain the epidemic have run counter to established public health strategies deployed in previous epidemics. He has also received updates on paper or through email, which is unusual compared to previous administrations where health secretaries held weekly briefings with CDC staff.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has not been tapped to work with the CDC on this outbreak, and Kennedy’s inconsistent message on vaccines has made it difficult for officials to contain the epidemic. He occasionally endorses vaccines as effective but also raises safety concerns, which some experts say could erode public confidence in vaccination.
Local leaders have largely been left alone to urge the public to take up vaccinations, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott not urging the public to get vaccinated despite the outbreak. In contrast, governors in other states have responded more forcefully to the growing measles case count, such as Nebraska’s Jim Pillen and Hawaii’s Josh Green.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-rfk-jr-messaging-criticism-vaccine-1a2cbdc14eb0c256695fdfac00cbfb6d