The Texas Well being and Human Companies division introduced on Tuesday, that the state now has 223 confirmed measles instances, a rise of 25 because the final replace on Friday. Twenty-nine folks have been hospitalized, and tragically, a 6-year-old youngster has died—the primary measles loss of life in the USA since 2015.
The outbreak, which started in Gaines County, in western Texas, exploded within the school-age inhabitants within the space because of the county’s low vaccination charges amongst kindergarteners—one of many lowest charges within the state. New Mexico’s HHS reviews 30 confirmed instances, all in Lea County, which borders Texas, and contains one loss of life of an unvaccinated one who examined constructive for the measles postmortem.
In the meantime, on Monday, it was reported that the Nationwide Institutes of Well being can be canceling or chopping again on greater than 40 vital scientific grants for analysis within the fields of vaccine hesitancy. In line with the Washington Put up, the language within the termination electronic mail for the grants is telling.
“It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize research activities that focuses gaining scientific knowledge on why individuals are hesitant to be vaccinated and/or explore ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment. … Therefore, the award is terminated.”
All of this information comes because the deadline for layoffs, directed at departments on the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies and coming from the Trump administration, approaches on March 13. Below Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the HHS has already laid off 1000’s of its workers, with applications such because the Epidemic Intelligence Service being deeply gutted by the layoffs. The esteemed coaching program run by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention investigates illness outbreaks.
With the intention to obtain the drastic cuts to our public well being workforce demanded by President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reviews that the HHS is growing their voluntary buyout provide. Along with a $25,000 lump sum buyout, some workers may also be supplied two months of paid severance.
Final week, Kennedy did a 35-minute interview with Fox Nation that aired solely on-line, shortly earlier than Trump’s terribly boring deal with to a joint session of Congress. The interview—behind a not very clear paywall—gave Fox viewers extra of the anti-vaccine rhetoric the general public is aware of him for. And whereas Kennedy’s March 2 emergency op-ed in response to the measles outbreak steered some assist for the MMR vaccine, the Fox Nation viewers obtained the good-old loopy stuff.
“It’s very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person,” Kennedy stated. (Texas’ HHS says that the 6-year-old youngster who died from measles was not vaccinated and didn’t have any underlying situations.) “We see a correlation between people who get hurt by measles and people who don’t have good nutrition or who don’t have a good exercise regimen,” Kennedy asserted within the interview whereas pushing unproven holistic cures like cod liver oil.
Kennedy has additionally paused an effort to develop a brand new oral COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to abruptly cancelling the FDA’s assembly to debate subsequent season’s flu vaccine. If there was any query that Kennedy was unsuitable for this job, his actions are sadly proving it.
