Pennsylvania Governor accuses RFK Jr. of spreading vaccine misinformation

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has issued a sharp rebuke of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accusing him of fueling a public health crisis through vaccine misinformation. The criticism follows the confirmation of several measles-related deaths in the state, including infants and an 18-year-old, marking the first fatalities in Pennsylvania in decades.

Health officials report that the victims were unvaccinated. The outbreak has intensified political tensions, with Shapiro stating that Kennedy’s history of anti-vaccine advocacy has emboldened parents to skip essential immunizations. While some activists have questioned the cause of death in certain cases, state health departments have confirmed the link to the measles virus.

In the Dominican diaspora in New York, the outbreak has caused significant concern among residents due to the large number of Dominican nationals living in Pennsylvania.