Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a White House ceremony last week. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. late Saturday was planning a hastily arranged visit to Texas after the state informed his department that a second child’s death there could be linked to measles.
- The death that triggered Kennedy’s trip is under investigation.
Driving the news: The child involved was a member of the same Mennonite religious community that in February reported the death of an unvaccinated 6-year-old girl who had had measles.
Zoom in: Kennedy has been sharply criticized for downplaying the risk of the virus and the efficacy of vaccines for them. He’s not expected to echo mainstream medical experts who are worried about his leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Details of Kennedy’s trip to the Lubbock, Texas, area are being closely guarded by his press-averse department, but the White House was informed of his travel plans Saturday.
- “This was a surprise trip,” an administration official said, noting it coincided with the “tragic” death of a second child that could stem from measles.
The big picture: Texas has the nation’s highest number of reported measles cases — 481 since late January. The nation’s first confirmed death of a child with measles occurred in Texas on Feb. 26.
White House officials have wanted Kennedy to travel more and take ownership of HHS, so his Texas trip could be seen as a first step in a more public-facing role.
- A spokesperson for HHS could not be reached Saturday.
