Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged measles vaccinations during a visit to Tampa on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, as the United States recorded its first two deaths from the disease this year in Pennsylvania. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, reiterated his call for the MMR vaccine amid a record outbreak that has infected 2,777 people as of mid-August—the highest annual total since measles was declared eliminated in 2000.
Kennedy visited Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary School alongside Florida State Attorney General Ashley Moody to discuss healthy food in schools. When asked about Florida’s push to make four vaccines optional for school entry—haemophilus influenzae type b, varicella, hepatitis B, and pneumococcal conjugate—Kennedy said parents should retain choice while acknowledging federal recommendations exist for certain vaccines.
“Our advice is that people should get the measles vaccination. There are certain communities, and certain religious communities that won’t do that, and we want to take care of those kids as well,” Kennedy said, according to the WLRN report.
The two deaths reported in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, marked a significant escalation in the 2026 outbreak. The Pennsylvania Health Department confirmed both victims were unvaccinated but declined to release their ages or identities to protect privacy. Kennedy raised questions about the deaths, stating that the CDC had attempted to obtain information from Pennsylvania’s governor and that “the state is refusing to cooperate.”
The 2026 measles surge reflects a sharp decline in vaccination coverage. The national MMR vaccination rate fell to 92.4 percent in the 2025-2026 school year, below the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity, according to data from Contagion Live and U.S. News. This drop has left millions of children vulnerable to a virus that is 97 percent preventable with two doses of the vaccine.
Kennedy’s messaging on measles has shifted markedly since taking office. In early 2025, he called a measles outbreak in West Texas “not unusual” and emphasized alternative interventions like vitamin A supplementation. By March 2025, he reversed course, calling the outbreak a “top priority.” In August 2026, he told CNN that parents should get their children vaccinated against measles as U.S. cases reached a 35-year high. His position contrasts with his decades-long skepticism about vaccine safety and his promotion of medical freedom in immunization decisions.
The outbreak has spread across multiple states, with South Carolina recording 670 cases through late July, the highest of any state. Pennsylvania has recorded 393 cases so far in 2026, with roughly half concentrated in Lancaster County. The virus is one of the most contagious known, and unvaccinated populations face the greatest risk of infection and severe outcomes.
Sources
- WLRN — RFK Jr.’s Tampa visit, measles vaccination statements, and Pennsylvania death details (Aug. 27, 2026)
- CDC — 2,777 confirmed measles cases as of Aug. 20, 2026
- Scientific American — First two measles deaths in 2026, case total context (Aug. 26, 2026)
- AP News — Pennsylvania measles deaths, unvaccinated status of victims (Aug. 26, 2026)
- Contagion Live — MMR vaccination rate decline to 92.4 percent (Aug. 18, 2026)
- U.S. News — National vaccination rate 92.5 percent, below 95 percent herd immunity threshold (Aug. 14, 2026)
- The Guardian — RFK Jr.’s measles vaccination endorsement (Aug. 2, 2026)
- BBC News — Kennedy’s shift from calling outbreak “not unusual” to “top priority” (Mar. 3, 2025)
- CNN / The Hill — RFK Jr. endorsement of measles vaccine amid rising infections (Aug. 3, 2026)
