Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advocates for increased measles vaccination as US faces its worst outbreak in over three decades, highlighting regional gaps in immunity and ongoing risks.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly urged parents to vaccinate their children against measles, a notable shift in tone as the United States records its worst annual outbreak in more than three decades. Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union”, Kennedy said parents should have their children immunised, adding that the vaccine is effective and prevents measles in about 97 per cent of cases. The CDC’s guidance is broadly consistent with that figure, saying two doses of MMR are about 97 per cent effective, while one dose is about 93 per cent effective.
The endorsement comes against the backdrop of a sharp rise in infections. The CDC says 2,371 measles cases have been confirmed this year, surpassing last year’s total of 2,289 and marking the highest annual count since 1991, when the agency recorded 9,643 cases. Most infections have occurred in people who were unvaccinated or whose status was unknown, and the disease has spread through 45 jurisdictions, with several recent clusters in states including South Carolina, Utah, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Although no measles deaths have been reported in the US this year, the outbreak has still been serious. The CDC’s figures show hospital admissions have eased from last year’s level, but measles remains capable of causing pneumonia, encephalitis and other severe complications. Last year brought the first US measles deaths in a decade, including two unvaccinated children in West Texas and an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico, underscoring how quickly the virus can become dangerous when coverage slips.
Public health officials say the problem is not national coverage alone, but pockets of vulnerability. Kindergarten MMR uptake has fallen to 92.5 per cent in the latest school year, down from 95.2 per cent before the pandemic, leaving roughly 286,000 children without documented protection. That is below the 95 per cent level generally needed to stop community spread, and local gaps have proved decisive: Florida, for example, has reported 141 cases this year, with the bulk in Collier County and school coverage in some areas well below the level needed for herd protection.
The broader policy stakes are also rising. The United States has held measles elimination status since 2000, but the Pan American Health Organization is due to review the country’s designation in November after examining whether domestic transmission has continued uninterrupted for 12 months. Researchers have traced connected outbreaks from West Texas through Utah and Arizona, and some infectious disease experts say the threshold may already have been crossed in practice. Losing elimination status would not alter medical advice, but it would affect international classification and could influence travel guidance and clinical suspicion.
For families, the practical advice has not changed. The CDC and the American Academy of Paediatrics still recommend two MMR doses, with the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at four to six years. Children eligible for the federal Vaccines for Children programme can receive the shot at no cost, and most insured adults can obtain it as a preventive service. Health specialists advise anyone with fever and a rash after possible exposure to call ahead before seeking care, as measles is among the most contagious infections known.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
