I suffered from Measles — before the vaccine — and I clearly remember the horrible disease

The Kennedy who destroyed the family legacy of service and humanitarianism

Back in the 1950s, I was a young child. I suffered from the usual maladies of youth, but the one that I remember most clearly was the Measles.

All I remember is having a rash over my body, and our family doctor, Dr. Charles Solomon, aka Doc Solly, treated me for it. I remember being violently sick for days and he managed to treat me through the vagaries of the illness.

My parents had arranged for me to have all of the vaccines that were required before entering school, and while they were not pleasant, I was told that it was to prevent serious diseases from taking over, just like Measles did.

Later, the Measles vaccine came into play.

The vaccines of the 1960s

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Measles vaccine was developed in the 60s and was followed by another vaccine that helped against two other diseases,

In 1963, the measles vaccine was developed, and by the late 1960s, vaccines were also available to protect against mumps (1967) and rubella (1969). These three vaccines were combined into the MMR vaccine by Dr. Maurice Hilleman in 1971.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025

I never had the mumps, but they were apparently no fun either.

My parents never questioned the vaccines. They saw that had happened to us with Measles, and that convinced them that vaccines would be preferable.

By the end of the 20th Century, the American vaccines had eliminated Measles in the U.S. However, the anti-vaxxers have succeeded in allowing it to return.

Measles was eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 due to effective use of vaccine. However, small numbers of cases occurred each year. Some years were worse than others, but over time, outbreaks have gotten larger.

For example, in 2019, almost 1,300 cases were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those, 128 people were hospitalized and 61 experienced complications like pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Between 2000 and 2024, three people in the U.S. died from measles.

Between 2000 and 2024, three people in the U.S. died from measles. Unfortunately, in 2025, large numbers of cases led to three deaths from measles by May. The reason outbreaks have been increasing in size and severity is because more parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children. Scientists and public health officials often call measles the “canary in the coal mine” because it is the first to return when immunization rates drop.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2024

According to present data from the Centers for Disease Control at the end of July, 2,289 cases were confirmed in the U.S. for 2025 and 2,371 thus far in 2026. Approximately 93 percent of those who contracted the disease were unvaccinated, and three people have died from the disease thus far.

Kennedy pushing unproven remedies

An anti-vaxxer was appointed to lead the Health and Human Services Department by Donald Trump in 2025, which mirrors the rise in the numbers . Robert Kennedy Jr. is the man, and he is already pushing some unproven remedies to take the place of the Measles vaccine.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly was in contact with a Texas historian who helped support the distribution of unproven measles remedies amid an outbreak in the state.

Texas historian Tina Siemens told Mother Jones [magazine] that Kennedy contacted her last week to discuss health concerns in the Mennonite community.

"Siemens said she had been working with a clinic called Veritas Wellness in Lubbock, Texas, to distribute medications, including Vitamin C, cod liver oil, and the inhaled steroid budesonide," the magazine reported.

“RFK Jr. holds call with Texans…” Raw Story, March 10, 2025

Kennedy, whose appointment was opposed by most health organizations, is trying to play both sides of the issue.

On March 2, Kennedy penned an op-ed for Fox News in which he appeared to endorse the measles vaccines, writing that the shots “not only protect individual children from measles but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.”

Yet in an interview last week, Kennedy claimed, without citing research, that treating measles with steroids, antibiotics, and cod liver oil yielded “very, very good results.” Cod liver oil contains Vitamin A, which is often used in much higher concentrations to prevent complications from the disease, including blindness. There is no credible evidence that cod liver oil itself can treat or prevent measles.

Kiera Butler, “RFK Jr. Reportedly Had a Call With Texans … ” Mother Jones, March 10, 2025

Severe complications in children and adults

According to the CDC,

Some people may suffer from severe complications, such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). They may need to be hospitalized and could die.

• Hospitalization. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles is hospitalized.

• Pneumonia. As many as 1 out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.

• Encephalitis. About 1 child out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain). This can lead to convulsions and leave the child deaf or with intellectual disability.

• Death. Nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications.

• Complications during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and have not had the MMR vaccine, measles may cause birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby.

Centers for Disease Control, 2025

Kennedy and Rand Paul have ranted and raved against the Covid vaccines, which

Vaccines work. I took all of the Covid and did not get the disease, and while that is not 100 percent, I will stand by them.

According to data from the Commonwealth Fund, approximately 3.2 million lives in the U.S. were saved by the Covid-19 vaccine.

I took the vaccines and did everything the scientists recommended ... and as I have posted previously, have never contracted it. I am taking the most recent one in the next week or two.