RFK Jr. says US measles outbreak ‘top priority’ at HHS

Last Wednesday, during President Donald Trump’s inaugural Cabinet meeting, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the head of the nation’s largest federal health agency, minimized concerns over a measles outbreak that has already infected over 150 individuals and resulted in a child’s death in Texas.

“We are monitoring the measles outbreak daily,” Kennedy stated in the presence of reporters during the meeting. “For context, there have been four measles outbreaks in the U.S. this year. … This is not unusual. Measles outbreaks occur every year.”

However, just two days later, Kennedy—who has a history of opposing widely accepted vaccines—appeared to shift his stance, acknowledging the severity of the outbreak in West Texas.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Kennedy stated that the U.S. government, through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is actively responding by providing resources, including vaccines.

To aid Texas in combating the outbreak, HHS is supplying 2,000 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine along with laboratory assistance to improve virus tracking.

Kennedy added that HHS remains in regular contact with public health authorities in all affected regions to ensure they have the necessary resources.

“We will continue supporting Texas’ immunization efforts. Addressing this measles outbreak is a top priority for me and my exceptional team at HHS,” he wrote.

Kennedy has previously opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates and has promoted the debunked theory that childhood vaccinations contribute to autism.

As of February 27, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 164 measles cases across nine jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island, and Texas.

According to CDC data updated Thursday, 95% of those infected were unvaccinated, with 20% (32 of 164 cases) requiring hospitalization.

A Texas health official confirmed that an unvaccinated child’s recent death in West Texas marked the first measles-related fatality in the U.S. since 2015.

Measles was officially declared “eliminated” in the U.S. in 2000.

The Texas outbreak originated in a small Mennonite community near Lubbock and has since expanded. HHS is supplying communication materials in Low German to assist the affected population.

So far in 2025, three outbreaks—defined as clusters of three or more related cases—have been reported, with 93% of all cases linked to these outbreaks, according to the CDC.

In 2024, the U.S. recorded 285 measles cases, with 40% of affected individuals requiring hospitalization.

Public health officials are raising alarms over the outbreak, warning that communities with low immunization rates are at the highest risk for continued transmission.

“West Texas has alarmingly low MMR vaccination rates. In the region where this outbreak began, one in five children is unvaccinated. Measles spreads rapidly in unprotected communities—it’s one of the most contagious viruses known. On average, one infected person can transmit it to 12–18 unvaccinated individuals,” explained epidemiologist and data scientist Dr. Katelyn Jetelina in her newsletter, Your Local Epidemiologist.

Measles is characterized by a distinctive red, mottled rash that typically starts on the face and spreads across the body. While many children recover, complications can be severe. Jetelina emphasized that the virus can lead to pneumonia, deafness, brain damage, and a weakened immune system, making individuals more susceptible to other infections, such as the flu.

Jetelina also criticized Kennedy’s misleading statements about the outbreak.

“RFK Jr. incorrectly claimed that ‘nothing unusual is happening; we experience measles outbreaks every year.’ However, a child dying from measles is not normal. Additionally, this year’s case count has already surpassed eight of the past 15 years’ annual totals,” she wrote.

“We are only 1.5 months into 2025. Furthermore, in the past decade, there have been just four outbreaks exceeding 100 cases—West Texas is now on that list. Instead of downplaying the situation, Kennedy should publicly support MMR vaccination. (Which he has not.),” Jetelina added.

The Texas Health and Human Services Department continues to advocate for the MMR vaccine as the most effective protection against measles.

“The best prevention method is vaccination with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. This provides strong protection against measles,” the agency stated on its website.

On Thursday, the CDC issued its first public statement regarding the outbreak.

“HHS is offering technical assistance, laboratory support, vaccines, and necessary therapeutic medications to the Texas Department of State Health Services and the New Mexico Department of Health, which are leading the outbreak response efforts in their respective areas,” the statement read.

The CDC reiterated that vaccination remains the most effective defense against measles, as no direct antiviral treatment exists. In severe cases, supportive care—including physician-administered vitamin A supplementation—may be considered.

Kennedy, in his X post, also pointed out that the CDC has updated its measles treatment guidance to include vitamin A administration under medical supervision.

Vitamin A has been utilized in severe measles cases in developing nations where deficiencies are prevalent. Studies suggest it can lower complication rates and mortality but does not serve as a cure. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend its use for hospitalized children with measles.

However, medical experts caution that vitamin A is not a substitute for the MMR vaccine.

“There have been instances where misinformation led communities to believe that vitamin A alone could prevent measles, which is untrue,” said Dr. David Higgins, a pediatrician and preventive medicine specialist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in an NBC News report.

Excessive vitamin A intake can be toxic, doctors warn.

Many public health officials anticipate the outbreak will continue to spread.

“We’ve seen 124 cases in just 33 days. It’s unclear how large this outbreak will become, but the rate of transmission is high. For comparison, the last major U.S. measles outbreak in New York (2019) exceeded 1,000 cases,” Jetelina wrote. “This situation could be much worse, but thanks to vaccines, behavioral changes, and tireless public health efforts, the spread has been somewhat contained.”