Amid the measles outbreak that has affected more than 220 cases and killed at least 2 people in the US, controversial remarks of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been doing the rounds, sparking discussion among experts about their validity. In his recent interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, RFK Jr for instance suggests that natural infection could be a superior form of immunity compared to vaccination when it comes to measles.
Recalling his childhood times, Kennedy said that back then ‘everybody got measles’ and people used to develop lifetime immunity against the virus.
“It used to be, when I was a kid, that everybody got measles. And the measles gave you lifetime protection against measles infection,” he said, adding that vaccine-induced immunity can wane over time.Kennedy’s comments haven’t gone down well with public health officials who can’t emphasise on the importance of vaccines enough, terming measles a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been actively warning health workers and travelers about the outbreak, stressing that the MMR vaccine remains the most effective method of protection. According to the CDC, one dose of the vaccine provides 93% immunity, while two doses offer 97% protection.
While Kennedy admits that vaccines can “stop the spread of the disease,” he says it’s a personal choice. “People ought to be able to make that choice for themselves.”
Kennedy also raised concerns about maternal immunity, suggesting that vaccinated mothers may not pass the same level of protection to their infants as those who had measles naturally. However, the claim contradict established medical research, which says the passive protection is only till six months, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control(https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/measles/facts.
A concerning outbreak
Texas is currently witnessing a massive measles outbreak with cases also being reported in California, New York, and Maryland. Situation in Gaines County, Texas, is particularly alarming as the disease has spread rapidly within a Mennonite community with low vaccination rates.
The outbreak has already claimed the life of a child in Texas—the first measles-related death in the US in a decade. Another suspected death has been reported in neighboring New Mexico.
In the interview, Kennedy has also said that poor diet and lack of exercise can make people more susceptible to complications. “It’s very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person,” he claimed, adding that “we see a correlation between people who get hurt by measles and people who don’t have good nutrition or who don’t have a good exercise regimen.”
Dr. Wendell Parkey, a physician in Gaines County, rejected the idea that the largely self-sufficient Mennonite community suffers from malnutrition. “They’re the healthiest people out here,” he said. “Nutritionally, I would put them up against anybody,” the expert told New York Times.
Pushing unproven treatments
Kennedy is also promoting unscientific and alternative treatments for measles, stating that doctors in Texas have reported “miraculous and instantaneous” recoveries using steroids, antibiotics, and cod liver oil. Medical experts, however, say these treatments lack scientific backing.
“There is no evidence that steroids or antibiotics improve measles outcomes,” Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center told NYT. “Measles is a virus, and antibiotics don’t treat viruses.”
The CDC has also warned about the dangers of “immune amnesia,” a condition in which measles infection weakens the body’s ability to fight off other diseases.