Acting CDC director Bhattacharya urges measles vaccines

Jay Bhattacharya, the recently appointed acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on Monday urged families to consider vaccinating against measles as outbreaks across the country continue.

In a video statement posted on the social media platform X, Bhattacharya discussed the steps that the CDC is taking the address the measles situation in the U.S., including “surging” resources and coordinating with states to spread education and outreach.

According to the CDC, 1,136 measles cases have been confirmed this year and 10 new outbreaks. Last year marked the worst year in terms of measles for the U.S. in decades, with nearly 2,300 cases confirmed across 50 outbreaks.

“There is no cure for measles, which is why prevention is so critical. The MMR vaccine remains the most reliable and effective way to prevent it. Two doses are 97% effective at providing lifelong protection against measles and its complications. Vaccination protects not only individuals but entire communities,” said Bhattacharya.

He added that health care providers can help families make “informed choices with confidence.” Since coming into power, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, and his allies have sought to reframe the vaccine conversation as one about encouraging informed consent and shared clinical decision-making.

Critics of anti-vaccine rhetoric, such as Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) during a recent confirmation hearing, have argued that these aspects are already a part of today’s health care.

“Our goal is simple, healthy children, thriving families and strong communities today and into the future,” added Bhattacharya. “Measles is preventable and vaccination remains the most effective way to protect yourself and those around you that commitment reflects our core priorities, protecting the American people, acting with integrity and transparency and serving with humility and accountability.”

The U.S. is currently poised to lose its status as a country where measles is eliminated, having had this distinction since 2000. On Jan. 20, the U.S. technically met the criteria to lose this status. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has scheduled a meeting with both the U.S. and Mexico in April to go over their respective measles statuses, where the countries will present relevant data to PAHO.