On Wednesday, over 750 staff members from the US Department of Health and Human Services urged Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to prioritize the safety of health workers. An open letter highlighted concerns that health staff were at risk due to misinformation about vaccines and infectious diseases, following a recent shooting incident at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) facilities in Atlanta.
The letter accused Kennedy of undermining public health infrastructure and spreading false health information, calling on him to change his stance to protect the American people. Former CDC leaders signed the letter, with many choosing to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions.
Additionally, the letter linked the CDC shooting to growing distrust in public institutions, fuelled by political rhetoric that has turned public health experts into targets. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, dissolved the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel last June and recently announced cuts to research funding for mRNA vaccines, arguing their ineffectiveness against infections such as COVID and flu.
(Edited by John Silk)
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-rfk-jr-risking-nation-s-health-with-misinformation/a-73710892?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
