Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pushing harmful falsehoods about measles as an outbreak in western Texas and japanese New Mexico rages on.
In Texas particularly, a total of 223 people have contracted measles for the reason that outbreak started in January, with not less than 29 folks, principally kids, requiring hospitalization. One little one, who was unvaccinated, has died from measles, whereas a second unvaccinated individual’s loss of life is at present being investigated by well being officers.
The outbreak doesn’t present indicators of ending anytime quickly, and the Texas Division of State Well being Providers has predicted that “further circumstances are more likely to happen within the outbreak space and the encompassing communities.”
One other case of measles has been identified in Maryland. That particular person lately arrived within the state from a global journey, and it’s not suspected their an infection is expounded to the Texas outbreak.
The federal response to the measles outbreak within the Lone Star State has been muddled by Kennedy repeatedly peddling disinformation concerning how you can stop and deal with the virus.
Late in February, Kennedy, a noted anti-vaxxer, downplayed the significance of the outbreak, claiming that such outbreaks occur “yearly” — ignoring the truth that 20 years in the past, earlier than anti-vaccine sentiment gained prominence, measles have been thought of eradicated within the U.S. attributable to low case numbers. The HHS head additionally falsely said that individuals have been solely hospitalized for measles in Texas for “quarantine” functions, a declare that has been disputed by a Texas well being official.
Kennedy has since stated that vaccines could work to guard folks within the area. Nevertheless, he has continued to push disinformation concerning the prevention and remedy of the virus.
In an look on Fox Information earlier this month, for instance, Kennedy claimed that higher doses of Vitamin A — including cod liver oil — may assist in treating measles. Vitamin A is pushed in different international locations as a useful remedy, however often solely when an individual’s physique is experiencing a deficiency in that vitamin. Cod liver oil comprises Vitamin A, however, in keeping with FactCheck.org, it “isn’t suggested in any respect for measles — and would must be consumed in a probably harmful quantity to get the advisable dosage of the vitamin used throughout an an infection.”
Telling viewers to think about these choices may discourage them from searching for skilled medical remedy in the event that they or their members of the family get sick, and will additionally cause harms unrelated to the virus itself.
On Tuesday, Kennedy continued to advertise falsehoods concerning the virus. In a second look on Fox Information, in an interview with host Sean Hannity, Kennedy baselessly insinuated that contracting measles is a better protection against the virus than getting vaccinated — a declare that’s each unfounded and harmful, as the long-term effects of measles can be very detrimental.
“It was once, after I was a child, that everyone obtained measles. And the measles gave you lifetime safety in opposition to measles an infection. The vaccine doesn’t do this,” Kennedy, who has no skilled or academic background in well being care, said on the program.
A two-dose vaccination routine in opposition to measles generally gives lifetime protection against the virus. When “breakthrough measles” circumstances do happen, they’re typically milder in severity and have fewer problems in comparison with circumstances through which unvaccinated folks contract measles, other research has found.
In line with Johns Hopkins College, exposing folks to measles, particularly kids, is way extra harmful than vaccination.
“Measles is a harmful illness and the vaccine could be very protected. The dangers of extreme sickness, loss of life, or lifelong problems from measles an infection far outweigh the commonly gentle unintended effects some folks expertise following vaccination,” the university says on its website.
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