The Senate HELP Subcommittee on Education and the American Family held a forum this week spotlighting the impact of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s recent vaccine policies.
Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester is a ranking member of the subcommittee, and she chaired the forum focused on how changed vaccine policies can threaten children’s health.
"The firing of CDC vaccine experts creates confusion and mistrust that lands directly at our school doors. Delaware's requirements have not changed, but families, students and school nurses are left sorting through mixed messages," said Denise Bradley Buffin, president of the Delaware School Nurses Association.
One topic covered is the widespread confusion on vaccines under Sec. Kennedy that’s making it harder for families to access critical vaccinations.
And Blunt Rochester says the negative impact of that is already being felt around the nation.
“Under his watch, we’ve had 37 different Measles outbreaks. A total of 1,454 confirmed cases – the majority of those in children and teens – and 3 deaths,” said Blunt Rochester. “All from an illness that was effectively eradicated thanks to safe, effective vaccines.”
Blunt Rochester calls these dark times in the nation’s public health, and notes that she and her colleagues sounded the alarm on Kennedy when he was nominated to be HHS Secretary.
The forum also focused on the importance of science-driven leadership at the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the role it can play along with the CDC in enabling broad vaccine access.
The subcommittee heard from former Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices members, a pediatrician and parents.
