Discouraging Americans from being vaccinated is a concerning issue that could have severe consequences, according to top U.S. health official Monica Bertagnolli. This comes following President-elect Trump's nomination of Robert F. Kennedy to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Bertagnolli, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, emphasized the importance of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases. She highlighted that historically, infectious diseases were a leading cause of death, and vaccination has been instrumental in reducing their impact over the years.
During a session with lawmakers, Rep. Lois Frankel expressed concerns about potential leadership figures discouraging vaccination. Bertagnolli responded by explaining the potential downsides of not vaccinating children, citing examples of severe illness and congenital malformations that can result from preventable diseases like rubella.
Bertagnolli warned that if all vaccination efforts were to suddenly stop, there would be a significant increase in severe illness and death among children. She urged lawmakers to consider the global impact of inadequate vaccination rates in other parts of the world, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination as the head of HHS has sparked controversy due to his past skepticism of vaccines. Critics, including U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, have raised concerns about Kennedy's stance on vaccines and its potential impact on public health infrastructure and vaccine distribution systems.
Kennedy, who aligned with Trump after his own presidential bid, has been vocal about his views on vaccines. Despite the opposition, Trump has expressed his commitment to improving public health with the slogan 'make America healthy again.'
