With measles cases on the rise and a report of the nation's first two deaths linked to the disease this year, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reiterated his call for people to get vaccinated but also accused Pennsylvania authorities of failing to cooperate with federal agencies on the matter.
On a visit to Tampa on Wednesday to talk about healthy food in schools, Kennedy was also asked about his stance on Florida's push to make four vaccines optional for school entry.
"Oh, you know I'm not familiar with the precise proposal, but you know we have recommendations for the vaccines that are necessary for kids — that we believe are necessary," Kennedy said.
A reporter then listed for him the vaccines Florida's Department of Health is proposing to remove: haemophilus influenzae type b, varicella, hepatitis b and pneumococcal conjugate.
The federal government actually recommends three of the vaccines that Florida is pushing to make optional: Hib, chickenpox and pneumococcal shots, according to a recent executive order by President Donald Trump.
That executive order recommends hepatitis B for higher risk groups only, a move most doctors oppose.
"Parents can still get a hold of those vaccines. Your insurance companies will still pay for them," Kennedy replied. "It should be parental choice."
Kennedy raised questions about the details of measles fatalities, and said Pennsylvania authorities are hiding information about the two people who died there.
"We're trying to get information about those two casualties," said Kennedy. The "CDC tried to get that information from the governor yesterday, and the state is refusing to cooperate."
The Pennsylvania Health Department has said both people were unvaccinated, but declined to release information about their ages or identities to "protect the privacy of the individuals and their families."
Kennedy is a longtime vaccine skeptic and proponent of medical freedom when it comes to immunizations, meaning parents should be able to choose what shots, if any, they get for their children.
However, with U.S. cases soaring to highs not seen since the 1990s, Kennedy has recently spoken explicitly in favor of people getting the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, and reiterated that call Wednesday.
"Our advice is that people should get the measles vaccination. There are certain communities, and certain religious communities that won't do that, and we want to take care of those kids as well."
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