HHS Secretary Kennedy urges MMR vaccination amid measles surge and critiques COVID lockdowns
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serving as Health and Human Services secretary, called for increased MMR vaccination as measles cases climb and criticized pandemic lockdown policies while referencing Dr. Fauci's diary.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged Americans to receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine ahead of the back-to-school season, citing the nation’s highest measles case count in 35 years. Kennedy said he has never questioned the efficacy of the MMR vaccine and attributed the surge to COVID-19 lockdowns, referencing entries in Dr. Anthony Fauci’s diary that warned of missed vaccinations during shutdowns.
During a CNN interview, Kennedy claimed the United States experienced the worst COVID-19 outcomes among countries and suggested that lockdowns caused the current measles outbreak. He also said Fauci’s diary indicated President Donald Trump repeatedly urged him to reopen the country.
"In fact, in Anthony Fauci's diaries, he talks about how President Trump is calling him every day, trying to get him to reopen the country," Kennedy told host Dana Bash.
Bash challenged the accuracy of Kennedy’s statements, noting his lack of medical or scientific training and disputing the claim that the U.S. fared the worst in the pandemic.
Kennedy also said that protecting constitutional rights should be the top priority in any future pandemic response and criticized gain-of-function research, which the Trump administration announced it would end.
In addition to vaccine issues, Kennedy discussed his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, which seeks to reform definitions of ultra-processed foods and the "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) rule. He denied claims that his proposals are being blocked by food-industry lobbying and said he expects the revised rules to be released within a month.