Bhattacharya says "I trust the science" on childhood vaccines
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, said "I trust the science" on vaccines as measles cases have risen to their highest levels in 35 years.
"I think that parents,for most kids, especially for the measles vaccines, the DTP, all the standard childhood vaccines, it's very important that parents vaccinate their kids," Bhattacharya said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan ."
Bhattacharya, who's also been serving as acting CDC director in recent months, said "I'm giving my recommendation — I've vaccinated my kids."
"I think if you want to protect your kids from these sort of preventable diseases, yes, you should vaccinate your kids," he said. "But it is even more important that these kids go to school."
Bhattacharya pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of trust in public health officials and institutions. He argued that it was a "tremendous mistake" to cause parents to fear sending their kids to school at the time. And as he encouraged parents to vaccinate their children, he said "it is a mistake, and it contributes to lack of public trust if you sort of fearmonger around, 'Oh, if you send your kids to school, well, you might be around unvaccinated kids.'"
"That's a tremendous mistake," he said. "You vaccinate your kids, you can protect your kids from those risks, whatever they are."