Robert F Kennedy Jr cuts childhood immunization recommendations by a third

Although rare, measles deaths occur in approximately one to three patients per 1,000 cases

The Guardian, reporting with the Associated Press, said Robert F Kennedy Jr has faced criticism for his comments on some vaccines. It also said the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary changed vaccination policy, including cutting childhood immunization recommendations by a third.

The report’s accompanying photograph showed a combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, credited to Matt Rourke/AP.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed three measles-associated deaths in the US this year, but state health departments reported more deaths. Pennsylvania health officials reported six deaths this year.

The CDC reported 4,588 measles cases across the country in 2026 as of late October, more than double the 2025 tally. Pennsylvania alone reported 1,338 cases on the same day, while the CDC also reported large outbreaks in South Carolina and Utah, each with more than 500 cases.

The report said the United States stopped the domestic spread of measles in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates. In recent years, those rates fell below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks of the viral disease.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious health complications. Although rare, deaths from measles occur in approximately one to three patients per 1,000 cases.

The report also recounted that state officials announced Monday that a child in rural northern New York had died after contracting measles, marking the state’s first death from the disease in 30 years. The child died in Lewis County, about 93 miles (150km) north of Syracuse, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

“I am heartbroken to learn that a child in Lewis County has died after contracting measles,” Hochul said in a statement.

Hochul linked the death to the federal government’s stance on immunisation, saying: “This is New York’s first measles-related death in 30 years, a devastating reminder of what’s at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses.”

Before the Lewis County death, Hochul had declared a disaster emergency in early October because of measles cases in neighboring states and rural areas of New York. The executive order extended the pool of people authorized to administer measles vaccines to include paramedics, midwives and others. It also allowed nurses to join doctors in ordering testing.