Protecting Kids from Preventable Diseases

As the number of measles cases reaches a 35-year high, parents are getting worried about sending their kids back to school. But Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, is urging parents to trust the science and vaccinate their kids. He believes that vaccines are the best way to protect kids from preventable diseases like measles.

Dr. Bhattacharya, who has also been serving as acting CDC director, has vaccinated his own kids and recommends that parents do the same. He emphasizes that it's not just about protecting individual kids, but also about maintaining herd immunity and keeping communities safe.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a loss of trust in public health officials and institutions, but Dr. Bhattacharya argues that fearmongering about the risks of unvaccinated kids is a mistake. He believes that parents should focus on the benefits of vaccination and the importance of sending their kids to school.

According to the CDC, only 10 states had measles coverage rates above the 95% threshold required for herd immunity during the 2024-2025 school year. Dr. Bhattacharya is working to address outbreaks in specific states and communities, and he stresses that the key to ending these outbreaks is vaccination.

The White House is drafting an executive order on childhood vaccines and autism, but Dr. Bhattacharya is focused on making sure that science addresses the complex question of why autism rates are rising. He emphasizes that the answer is not simple and that scientists need to be free to explore this topic without fear of being attacked.