“RFK Jr. MMR vaccine support spurs backlash: ‘So much for MAHA'”

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited West Texas over the weekend following the second reported pediatric death in the state linked to a rapidly spreading measles outbreak.

The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed that a school-aged child in Lubbock died last Thursday due to measles-related pulmonary failure. The child had not received the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and reportedly had no underlying health conditions. The child had been hospitalized and receiving treatment when complications from measles became fatal, according to UMC Health System spokesperson Aaron Davis.

This marks the second pediatric measles-related death in Texas since the outbreak began in late January. As of Sunday, Secretary Kennedy reported 642 confirmed measles cases nationwide, with 499 of those cases occurring in Texas. The virus has now spread to 22 states.

In a public statement on social media, Secretary Kennedy emphasized the importance of vaccination in curbing the spread of measles, stating, “The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” Kennedy also confirmed that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) response teams were redeployed to Texas at the request of Governor Greg Abbott.

The statement represented a striking shift for Kennedy, who has long been a prominent voice raising concerns about vaccine safety, including the safety profiles of mRNA-based technologies. His public endorsement of the MMR vaccine sparked both praise and backlash across various public health and political communities.

London-based infectious disease specialist Dr. Neil Stone welcomed the change in tone, commenting on social media: “Words I never thought I would hear Robert F. Kennedy Jr. say… He’s absolutely 100% correct and I’m encouraged that he is speaking responsibly about measles in the face of this tragic outbreak.”

However, not all reactions were positive. A segment of Kennedy’s longtime supporters, many of whom have followed his advocacy for vaccine transparency and medical freedom, expressed disappointment and confusion. Critics noted that certain formulations of the MMR vaccine—while not mRNA vaccines in the COVID-19 sense—still use similar molecular mechanisms that had previously raised concerns within medical freedom circles.

Several posts across alternative media platforms voiced concerns about what they viewed as an abrupt policy reversal, with some questioning whether Kennedy’s stance as Health Secretary now reflects institutional pressure rather than independent scientific inquiry.

Despite the criticism, Kennedy stated that the priority remains “preventing further tragedy” and reiterated his commitment to “open dialogue and parental rights,” even while promoting the vaccine during the current health emergency.

Kennedy also visited the Hildebrand family in Gaines County to offer condolences following the death of their daughter. He had previously connected with the family of Kayley Fehr, the first child in Texas to die from the current outbreak.

The CDC reported a total of 607 confirmed measles cases as of last Thursday, with outbreaks concentrated in Texas, Ohio, New Mexico, and Kansas. Texas alone reported a 15% increase in cases over a three-day period, totaling 481 infections statewide.

Source article originally posted here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/06/texas-measles-outbreak-second-death/82962586007/