Think about This from NPR : NPR

Think about This from NPR : NPR

Dr. Peter Marks testifies throughout a Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee listening to on the federal coronavirus response on Capitol Hill in 2021.

Susan Walsh/Getty Pictures


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Susan Walsh/Getty Pictures


Dr. Peter Marks testifies throughout a Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee listening to on the federal coronavirus response on Capitol Hill in 2021.

Susan Walsh/Getty Pictures

Measles is a particularly contagious illness. It is also extraordinarily preventable. There is a vaccine. It is extremely efficient.

For many years it has made measles outbreaks within the U.S. comparatively uncommon, and measles deaths rarer nonetheless. However the U.S. has now seen greater than 700 measles instances this 12 months, and three deaths to this point with energetic outbreaks throughout six states.

The federal response is beneath scrutiny as a result of Well being and Human Providers Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has made a profession spreading false details about vaccines.

What are this administration’s views on vaccines, and what do they imply for what’s already one of many worst U.S. measles outbreaks this century.

Kennedy publicly promised he would assist vaccines. Dr. Peter Marks, who was compelled out because the nation’s prime vaccine regulator says his division is not doing sufficient.

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This episode was produced by Connor Donevan. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our govt producer is Sami Yenigun.