RFK Jr. goes full anti-vaccine bananas over two measles deaths—one was a newborn
Kennedy and his allies have a history of downplaying vaccine-preventable deaths.
Kennedy and his allies have a history of downplaying vaccine-preventable deaths.
The short version
- In the wake of news on Tuesday that two people in Pennsylvania died from measles , Health Secretary Robert F.
- Kennedy Jr. has been posting a slew of anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation on social media—marking a resurgence of his old ways as a fervent opponent of lifesaving immunizations.
- The deaths are the first measles-linked fatalities in Pennsylvania in 35 years and are the first US measles deaths reported in 2026.
What happened
They occurred amid an explosive outbreak in the state that has reached nearly 400 confirmed cases, as well as an ongoing nationwide surge for the vaccine-preventable disease. The US has tallied nearly 2,800 cases so far this year, the highest total since 1991.
Why it matters
Pennsylvania health officials initially declined to provide details about the deaths, only reporting that they were in unvaccinated people from Lancaster County.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.