GoKawiilRFK Jr. spreads vaccine misinformation after two Pennsylvania measles deaths
Following news that two unvaccinated people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania—including a newborn—died of measles, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a series of anti-vaccine claims on social media, attacking the MMR vaccine and Governor Josh Shapiro. He also suggested, citing a local Republican commissioner's disputed claim, that the deaths might have been fabricated by the governor's staff. These are the first measles deaths in Pennsylvania in 35 years and the first in the US in 2026, amid a national outbreak that has reached nearly 2,800 cases, the worst since 1991.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Kennedy's rhetoric as the nation's top health official during a deadly outbreak risks further eroding public trust in vaccines at a moment when case counts are already at three-decade highs. His suggestion that verified deaths were fabricated illustrates how misinformation can spread from fringe anti-vaccine sites into official government channels, potentially undermining outbreak response efforts nationwide.
- Two unvaccinated people, including a newborn, died from measles in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
- RFK Jr. used both personal and official accounts to spread anti-vaccine claims and dispute the deaths' legitimacy.
- The US has recorded nearly 2,800 measles cases in 2026, the highest number since 1991.
Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-08-27
Published there as: “RFK Jr. goes full anti-vaccine bananas over two measles deaths—one was a newborn”
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