Trump: parents must vaccinate their children in the face of the measles epidemic

(CNN) – President Donald Trump commented on the recent measles outbreak in the United States, seeming to have turned around its previous statements linking childhood immunization to autism.

"They have to get vaccinated. Immunizations are so important. It's really around now. They have to be vaccinated, "Trump told CNN's Joe Johns on Friday, asking for his message to parents.

In the United States, measles cases have exceeded the record number since the disease was declared eliminated nationally in 2000.

As of Monday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 626 confirmed individual cases of measles in these 22 states. This includes illnesses reported by state health departments at the CDC until April 19 and therefore does not include cases reported since. On Wednesday morning, CNN analysis of state health services data and local health services brought the total number of cases to 681 in 22 states.

On Wednesday night, the CDC confirmed the course. In a statement, the agency said at 3 pm it had 695 cases of the disease this year.

A UNICEF study found that deaths from measles had increased by 22% in 2017, and complacency and fear of vaccines were among the factors leading to a reduction in the number of vaccines.

A recently published health study of more than 650,000 children found that MMR vaccine did not increase the risk of autism in children not considered at risk of developing the disease and did not trigger it. in those who were there.

Although Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that there is no link between vaccines and autism, Trump has publicly stated in the last decade that he is skeptical about vaccination. children.

In the first Republican presidential debate on CNN in 2015, Trump told CNN's Jake Tapper that he was in favor of "lower doses (of vaccines) over a longer period of time".

"Autism has become an epidemic. Twenty-five years ago, 35 years ago, you look at statistics, not even very close. He became totally uncontrollable. I am totally in favor of vaccines. But I want smaller doses over a longer period, "said Trump.

"Because you take a baby – and I saw it – and I saw it, and my children were taken care of over a long period, over a period of two or three years. Same exact amount, but you take this beautiful little baby and you pump – I mean, it looks like it's like it's for a horse, not a child, and we've had so many cases, people who work for me. "

Trump first addressed the issue on Twitter in 2012.

"Massive inoculations combined with young children are the cause of the sharp rise in autism," he said. claims.

He presented a similar argument in 2014, tweeting: "A healthy young child goes to the doctor, gets pumped with a massive injection of many vaccines, does not feel well and changes – AUTISM. Many of these cases!

Immunization skeptics have been associated with Trump's presidential campaign and administration.

In 2018, Thayer Verschoor, one of the senior appointees to the Department of Veterans Affairs, was criticized for spreading conspiracy theories. In one of his social media posts, he shared a list of 35 reasons to vote for Trump, including Trump "warning" America of the "dangers" of vaccines.

Darla Shine, the wife of former White House communications chief, Bill Shine, has espoused the anti-vaccine vision for years. While Bill Shine was at the White House, Darla Shine called for bringing back childhood diseases, such as measles, which she said boosted immunity and "keep you healthy and fight cancer."

During the presidential transition in 2017, Trump met Robert Kennedy Jr., a skeptic about vaccines. Kennedy told reporters that Trump had asked him to lead a commission on "Immunization Safety and Scientific Integrity." However, the Trump team denied appointing Kennedy to lead the charge. In February 2017, Kennedy told the press that the discussions had dissipated.