As January 20th marked the avoidable milestone of 12 straight months of measles transmission in the U.S. — jeopardizing the nation’s measles elimination status – Hawaii Governor Josh Green, M.D., Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, and Dr. Annie Andrews joined Public Health Watch for an event demanding the Trump administration finally take the public health crisis, that has needlessly harmed thousands of unvaccinated children, seriously.*See media coverage below.
Unfortunately, the American people should brace for more incompetence, gaslighting, carelessness and outright lies from the Trump-RFK Jr. HHS. Instead of using his platform and vast resources to help stop the spread of measles, Secretary Kennedy is dedicating his time this week to promoting whole milk and steak, and conducting interviews claiming he’s “never been anti-vaccine” despite hours and hours of Kennedy on tape urging parents not to vaccinate their children, including the MMR vaccine, based on nothing more than conspiracies and junk science. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. ‘s handpicked deputy CDC director is downplaying the likely loss of the U.S.’s measles elimination status as a “cost of doing business”.
“The Trump administration is openly willing to put American children at risk of becoming needlessly infected with measles in service of their unfounded personal beliefs and corporate profits,” said Kayla Hancock, Director of Public Health Watch, a project of Protect Our Care.
MEDIA ROUNDUP:
Forbes, 1/21: Measles Surges In The U.S. As Public Health Systems Falter:
Measles is surging in the U.S., exposing serious flaws in our public health response.
There’s a big brouhaha over whether the U.S. will lose its measles elimination status after 25 years. That reflects whether there has been sustained transmission in the country over the past year.
Dr. Ralph Abraham, the principal deputy director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suggested that “it’s just the cost of doing business, with our borders being somewhat porous [and] global and international travel.”
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In a webinar sponsored by Protect Our Health, an educational nonprofit, Daskalakis countered that “elimination is already lost, frankly, no matter what any other body says.” He further explained, “The actions of the Secretary of Health so far have already damaged our public health system, potentially beyond repair, and we do not have the capability to actually control measles.”
The measles epidemic in South Carolina is expensive to the state in lost tourism, according to Dr. Annie Andrews, a South Carolina pediatrician. She also spoke about how the lack of immunizations has changed practices, such as having to triage patients with a rash outside, in their cars, rather than allowing them into the office and risk infecting others. Andrews also now has to ask every patient “where they are on their vaccine journey,” as so many are unvaccinated. She said the disinformation campaign that led to that is “malpractice that is causing true harm.” She is hopeful that the economic and tourist impact on the state might be the one thing that “moves the needle.”
Public Health Response And Misinformation
All three speakers at the January 20th webinar stressed the impact of the dismantling of our public health infrastructure beyond measles. Governor Josh Green (D-HI), who is also a physician, said that cutting Medicaid enrollment is “another episode of public health malpractice.” His biggest concern is not measles, but that by undermining confidence in vaccines and slashing research, the next pandemic—be it bird flu or another—will make the COVID-19 pandemic look like “a walk in the park.”
Daskalakis echoed the concern about “mis- and disinformation campaigns that undermine the trusted vaccines, discourage immunization and spread myths about vaccine safety.” He added, Kennedy’s “statements and actions have been have reached wide audiences, amplifying skepticism and fueling resistance, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.” An example Daskalakis gave was that of the measles outbreak in an Orthodox Jewish New York community, fueled by such disinformation. Another was that in Texas, Kennedy “was telling people that they should use inhaled steroids and clarithromycin, which is an antibiotic, instead of getting vaccinated for the MMR, stating such crazy things as durability of the vaccine isn’t good, and claiming that the vaccine had fetal parts in it.”
So the measles elimination status is important as being “a vital sign for our public health system. It reflects our ability to maintain high vaccination coverage, conduct effective surveillance and respond swiftly to outbreaks” of any kind.
Green similarly criticized efforts by Kennedy to promote Vitamin A or cod liver oil and the inhaled steroid Butesonide for measles in Texas, and people profiting from selling these unproven supplements.
NBC News, 1/20: After a year marked by measles outbreaks across the U.S., is the virus now endemic?:
But Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned last year as director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said measles’ spread is already out of control in the U.S.
“I’m going to say that elimination is already lost, frankly, no matter what any other body says, based on what we’re seeing domestically now,” Daskalakis said on a press call hosted by Public Health Watch, a nonprofit group that has been critical of Kennedy.
CNN, 1/20: Measles elimination status ‘not really’ a concern, CDC official says:
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases who resigned in protest last year, said in another briefing Tuesday that trends suggest that the measles outbreak in South Carolina is “very, very active.”
“This is in a growth phase, and it is in a very aggressively fast growth phase,” he said. “We are nowhere close to the place that we would need to be able to say that this is coming under control.”
The vast majority of measles cases in the South Carolina outbreak — nearly 90% — have been among children, and nearly all have been unvaccinated. Only about 2% of cases have been in people known to have been fully vaccinated with the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine, according to data from the South Carolina state health department.
Daskalakis, along with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and Dr. Annie Andrews from South Carolina, blamed US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a rising distrust of vaccinations that has allowed measles to spread so rapidly.
“What’s happening today with measles is absolutely public health malpractice, and it’s completely preventable,” said Green, who is also a physician. “It is public health malpractice to have thwarted confidence in vaccinations.”
A record share of US kindergartners had an exemption for a required vaccination last school year, according to data from the CDC, marking the fifth year in a row that coverage with the MMR vaccine has been below the federal target of 95%.
“The worst part of it is, is it’s being encouraged by our public health leaders. It’s exactly the wrong thing to do,” Green said. “Let’s be clear: Kids will die.”
The Hill, 1/20: Healthcare group projects anti-RFK Jr. messages onto HHS building:
Protect Our Care, a healthcare advocacy group, on Tuesday projected two critical messages onto the facade of the Health and Human Services (HHS) building in Washington, D.C., blaming HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for policies they say are making Americans sicker.
“RFK JR: MAKING AMERICA SICK AGAIN,” read one message, projected outside the building.
Another message read: “MEASLES HQ.”
Kayla Hancock, director of Public Health Watch at Protect Our Care, told The Hill that the messages aim to raise awareness of the resurgence of Measles and to push the Trump administration to act with greater urgency to encourage vaccination.
“Secretary Kennedy has been busy doing anything and everything but addressing or even acknowledging the worsening measles outbreak that is almost exclusively harming unvaccinated children,” Hancock said.
“We hope that shining a literal spotlight on the HHS will spur the Trump administration to raise awareness of the proven safety and efficacy of the measles vaccine,” she continued. “It’s the least RFK Jr. can do after he helped cause this mess by spreading dangerous, fabricated lies about the shot that likely scared many parents out of vaccinating their children.”
The messages on the HHS building came the same day the U.S. met a key condition required to lose its measles elimination status, which the country has had for more than 25 years. […]
Protect Our Care held a virtual news conference earlier Tuesday, when Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D), who is also a physician, said the Trump administration “laid the foundation for mistrust and distrust of vaccinations over the course of this year, and … now you’re seeing the terrible outcomes.”
“What’s happening today with Measles is absolutely public health malpractice, and it’s completely preventable,” Green said earlier Tuesday.
“It’s unconscionable that HHS is allowing this to happen,” he added. “I don’t criticize them for everything that they do, but this, more than anything, is a tragedy, because it’s completely, completely preventable.”
CBS News, 1/20: Measles cases surge in South Carolina as U.S. risks losing elimination status:
“I don’t have faith that we’re in a place where we can say that we’re handling measles very well. Texas was an example. South Carolina is now the new example,” said Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, an infectious disease physician and former leader of immunization and respiratory disease strategy at the CDC. “South Carolina is another example of what we see when there’s low vaccination rates and a public health system that’s not really able to robustly address what’s happening.”
“Measles elimination status is a milestone for a country,” Daskalakis said. “It indicates that its public health system is healthy and able to respond to measles, which is the most infectious virus that we know. If you can handle measles, the implication is that you have the infrastructure to be able to handle a lot of other infectious diseases as well.”
Daskalakis said he was skeptical that the U.S. will maintain its elimination status in 2026, which could open the door for further outbreaks of previously eliminated or rare diseases, he said.
“If this is our vital sign, we’re in the ICU,” he said. “The future could be that we are going to be looking at measles becoming part of every day.”
Staying safe amid measles outbreaks
The best thing a person can do to prevent getting the measles is get vaccinated, Daskalakis said. One dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles. The complete two-dose series is 97% effective, according to the CDC.
Beyond getting vaccinated, people should follow recommendations from public health officials, stay home if they are feeling unwell and stay away from people who have the measles to prevent further transmission of the disease, he said.
If you are in an area where measles is prevalent and you have symptoms, seek medical attention, Daskalakis said. Early signs of measles include a cough, fever and runny nose, the CDC said.
“Always talk to your doctor,” Daskalakis said. “This is what they live for: Preventing preventable disease.”
Chief Health Executive, 1/21: Measles has been spreading for a year, and it’s ‘in a growth phase’ :
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a webinar Tuesday that there’s no evidence to suggest the measles outbreaks are contained.
“We are nowhere close to the place that we would need to be to be able to say that this is coming under control,” Daskalakis said, adding, “This is in a growth phase, and it is in a very aggressively fast growth phase.”
HHS ‘should be down there’
Daskalakis appeared at a webinar organized by Protect Our Care, a group that has criticized many of the policies championed by Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Daskalakis left the CDC last summer after President Trump fired Susan Monarez, the agency’s director.
“What’s happening today with measles is absolutely public health malpractice, and it’s completely preventable,” Green said.
He said the health department should be doing more in South Carolina in wake of the mounting cases.
“The Department of Health and Human Services should be down there setting up every possible vaccination clinic,” Green said. “They should be providing extra support for inpatient pediatrics. They better get ready for the run on care at the rural hospitals.”
As a South Carolina resident, Andrews says she’s seeing the impact of the outbreak. She has also seen more families say they haven’t had the measles vaccine.
“The thing about the outbreak happening in South Carolina is the cat is already out of the bag, and now we have to do damage control,” Andrews said. “It’s important to note that this has been a slow and steady decrease in vaccination rates across the country and here in South Carolina.”
Bloomberg, 1/20: South Carolina Measles Cases Push US Toward Losing Health Title:
“We are nowhere close to where we would need to be to say this outbreak is over,” said infectious disease expert and former CDC official Demetre Daskalakis on a call with reporters Tuesday.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 1/21: Gov. Josh Green blasts misinformation on measles:
Gov. Josh Green had strong words regarding the ongoing measles crisis in the U.S., calling it an entirely preventable situation.
During a news conference Tuesday hosted by Protect Our Care, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, Green lambasted U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for spreading misinformation about vaccines that prevent diseases such as measles.
“What’s happening today with measles is absolutely public health malpractice, and it’s completely preventable,” he said. “In this first year of the President’s second term, they’ve kind of taken the gloves off and allowed Secretary Kennedy to just run roughshod over policy.”
Green said the Trump administration has laid a foundation of distrust, and “now you’re seeing the terrible outcomes.”
The criticism comes as the number of confirmed measles cases in South Carolina ballooned to beyond 640 Opens in a new tab due to an outbreak there that began in October, affecting numerous schools.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported new measles cases in at least nine states this year. The U.S. on Tuesday marked 12 straight months of measles transmission, which puts the nation at jeopardy of losing its measles elimination status..
Green, along with Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, an infectious disease physician, and Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician living in South Carolina, all blamed RFK’s misinformation campaign for the current situation.
Daskalakis, also former director for CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said the measles resurgence was not random.
It’s the result of RFK questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines, including those for measles, mumps and rubella that helped the U.S. bring measles deaths to nearly zero. Now the U.S. is in the midst of the largest outbreak since 1991, he said, with RFK’s spread of myths about vaccines fueling resistance in the most vulnerable communities.
“If we lose measles elimination status, it will be a clear indicator that our public health infrastructure needs urgent revitalization,” he said, “and that we must commit to science-driven policies rather than the ideological policies that we have seen in the last year.”
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Measles is serious
Measles is not only very contagious, but a serious disease, Green emphasized.
“It can cause pneumonia, it can cause encephalitis or brain inflammation, and it can cause permanent disability and death,” said Green. “And I say this from experience because I was called in to deal with the outbreak in Samoa just a couple years ago.”
In 2019, Green, who was then Lt. Gov. of Hawaii, led a critical medical mission to Samoa to vaccinate people against measles.
Hospitals were overflowing, he said, with hallways full of children in respiratory distress in an outbreak that resulted in 83 deaths.
“So it’s absolutely deadly serious,” he said, “and it’s completely preventable because two shots of the measles vaccine, MMR, are 97% effective.”
Without intervention, he said, people in vulnerable rural areas, including kids, will get sick and die.
Andrews, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, said many parents have often asked her if measles is just a cold.
“For many patients, measles is similar to a cold,” she said. “You can get a fever, rash, runny nose, cough, itchy eyes, and sores in your mouth, and very often your immune system can handle it and you go on without any further damage.”
But when measles causes pneumonia, it can lead to respiratory failure. When measles causes encephalitis, it can lead to seizures, permanent neurological damage or death, she said.
When she asks new patients whether they are up to date on immunizations today, she braces herself for the answer due to the “rampant disinformation campaign led by RFK Jr.,” she said
“So many parents are hesitant to vaccinate their children,” she said. “So many parents have delayed vaccines. So every encounter I have with a patient in the hospital now involves a conversation about where they are on their vaccine journey.”
A slow and steady decrease in vaccination rates in South Carolina, she said, lead to a perfect environment for the current measles outbreak.
The Hill, 1/20: US hits 1 year of measles spread, CDC’s No. 2 calls outbreaks ‘cost of doing business’:
Infectious disease experts warn that one year of sustained measles transmission is a harbinger of worse developments to come.
“Elimination status certification includes assessment of the health of the public health system. Can we identify and respond to cases to limit the size of outbreaks? Is our immunization program empowered to increase vaccine coverage to better than 95 percent?” said Demetre Daskalakis, a former senior CDC official, in a briefing, referring to the ideal vaccination coverage recommended to prevent widespread outbreaks.
The U.S. has been slipping further from this standard in recent years, with 92.5 percent of kindergartners vaccinated during the 2024-2025 school year.
Daskalakis will begin his new role as chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City next month.
“I fear to say that the actions of the secretary of Health so far have already damaged our public health system, potentially beyond repair, and we do not have the capability to actually control measles, whether or not this is demonstrated through continuous measles transmission for 12 months,” Daskalakis added. “So, I’m going to say that that elimination is already lost, frankly, no matter what any other body says based on what we’re seeing domestically.”
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