US health official urges measles vaccination amid rising outbreaks
What's the story
Dr Mehmet Oz, a senior United States public health official and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator, has urged Americans to get vaccinated against measles. His appeal comes as outbreaks continue in multiple states, including South Carolina and along the Utah-Arizona border. The situation is alarming as it threatens to strip the US of its measles elimination designation.
Vaccine debate
Not all illnesses are equally dangerous, Oz said
Dr Oz emphasized the importance of measles vaccination on CNN's State of the Union, saying, "Not all illnesses are equally dangerous and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses." He added, "But measles is one you should get your vaccine." This comes even as his boss, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, has been upping the rhetoric of vaccine skepticism. Kennedy has a history of questioning vaccine safety and necessity.
Outbreak impact
Outbreak surpasses Texas's 2025 outbreak
The measles outbreak has already surpassed Texas's 2025 outbreak, affecting children the most. Public health experts warn that growing vaccine skepticism could be behind the return of a disease once eliminated in the US. In January alone, 25% of last year's total cases were confirmed, with no signs of slowing down. Despite most patients being unvaccinated, no national campaigns have been announced yet to combat this public health crisis.
Vaccine controversy
Oz previously questioned flu vaccine effectiveness
Dr Oz has previously supported Kennedy's campaign to "make America healthy again," which includes rejecting vaccine mandates and questioning established scientific research. He also cast doubt on flu vaccines' effectiveness in a Newsmax interview last year, saying, "Every year, there's a flu vaccine. It doesn't always work very well." Instead of vaccines, he recommended self-care as a way to combat illnesses like the flu.