One true thing RFK Jr. has said recently is don't take vaccine advice from him
2025 may see the highest measles case count in the United
States since the disease was officially eliminated in 2000. With more
than 1,000
cases identified, and many more likely unreported, the virus is
taking hold in unvaccinated and under-vaccinated communities. The Annenberg
Poll surveyed 1,653 US adults from April 15 to 28, 2025, on measles knowledge
and attitudes toward vaccines.
Despite the number of current outbreaks (14) and illnesses
(1,024 confirmed), only 6 in 10 of adults polled (58%) said there are more
measles cases in the United States in 2025 than in the comparable period in
2024.
The poll picked up increased support for mandating MMR
vaccine for public school entrance. Eighty percent of those polled said they
supported requiring MMR vaccines for school entry, up from 73% in 2023. Only
18% of those polled said vaccines should be a matter of parental choice.
Most unsure of measles complications
Most adults surveyed in the current poll had a limited
understanding of measles complications or understood the particular risks of
measles infections in pregnancy. Just over 1 in 8 Americans (13%) estimated
correctly that 10% to 15% of measles patients will require hospitalization.
Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they were unsure of
complications if a pregnant woman contracts measles.
When asked to select among a list of complications that could occur in someone with measles who is pregnant, a third of survey respondents correctly identify delivering a low birthweight baby .
"When asked to select among a list of complications
that could occur in someone with measles who is pregnant, a third of survey
respondents correctly identify delivering a low birthweight baby (34%) or
experiencing an early delivery (34%) as complications of having measles while
pregnant," the authors wrote.
Belief in dubious treatments
The poll also assessed belief in alternative, non-vaccine,
treatments for measles, including vitamin A and cod liver oil, both of which
have been referenced by Health and Human Services Sectary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
on recent trips to Texas as successful treatments for measles. Some doctors in
Texas have subsequently reported cases of vitamin A toxicity in children who
have been treated with too much vitamin A during the ongoing outbreak.
Neither vitamin A nor D (which is contained in cod liver
oil) is a proven treatment for measles. Americans polled were split on the
usefulness of the vitamins for measles treatment and prevention, with 46% to
47% saying the vitamins had no effect on whether a person will get measles.
"As for the general health benefits of taking a large
amount of cod liver oil every day, 48% say they are unsure whether there are
any health benefits or not. Just as many say cod liver oil improves a person’s
health (16%) as say it harms (15%) one’s health,” the pollsters said. "A
fifth (22%) say taking large amounts of cod liver oil every day has no effect
on one’s health one way or the other."
The poll's margin of error for the entire sample is plus or
minus 3.4 percentage points.
Canada reports more cases
Canada is also experiencing a large measles outbreak this
year, and on May 16, Public Health Canada reported 346 new cases from 7
jurisdictions in the most recent reporting week, putting the country's total at
1,846. The vast majority are in Ontario (1,460 cases) and Alberta (287).
"The outbreak began in New Brunswick in October 2024.
It has continued to spread in Ontario and there have been related cases
reported in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Prince
Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan," Public Health Canada said.
Montreal health officials are
warning of potential exposure following the detection of a measles case in
someone who visited the city while infectious in the first and second week of
May. Several hotels and restaurants are listed as possible exposure
sites.
In other North American news, a media report describes
the April 3 measles death in Mexico of a Mennonite man who had underlying
health conditions.
The current measles outbreak
in Mexico is centered near a Mennonite community in Chihuahua state, and there
are links in the Mexican community to the US West Texas outbreak.
