By ARIEL FRISTOE
Because the inventive director of Out of Hand Theater, an arts group that promotes anti-racism, social activism and well being fairness, I consider the latest appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK) as Secretary to the Division of Well being and Human Providers is past regarding. RFK isn’t a physician, neither is he a scientist, but he has been very vocal about his vaccine skepticism and has promoted misinformation about vaccine security. Now, together with the elimination of scientific data and warnings from the Facilities for Illness Management (CDC) web site, RFK’s appointment might result in main will increase in preventable and severe sicknesses, outbreaks and deaths.
COVID-19 and its varied mutations are nonetheless very a lot a part of our day by day panorama. In line with the World Well being Group (WHO), greater than 7 million COVID-related deaths have been reported since 2020 worldwide, practically 2 million deaths had been recorded in 2020 alone. The primary vaccines had been developed and have become accessible by November 2020 and reported deaths from the final 28 days is 3,872, which is a 98.7% lower from the onset of the pandemic. Vaccines work and save lives!
Ailments like smallpox and the bubonic plague had been worn out as a result of scientists developed vaccines. At the moment, with the “anti-vax” rhetoric being embraced and misinformation being so commonplace, experiences of measles went from 4 circumstances in 2023 to 285 in 2024. 9 of those circumstances required hospitalization. The affected people embody six youngsters beneath 4 years outdated, 16 people aged 5-17, and two adults over 18 – the numbers rise as the times go by with 124 circumstances in in Texas in 2025 alone. We can’t and shouldn’t be going backwards the place drugs is worried.
Well being consultants are involved that rising nonmedical vaccine exemptions amongst schoolchildren might result in extra frequent outbreaks. Declining vaccination charges are worrisome as measles may cause severe sickness, together with hospitalization and mind swelling. I’m not a physician nor a scientist, however I place my belief within the precise docs and scientists who’ve the better good in thoughts when growing medicines to fight and stop ailments. Why does this matter to me? Via our Equitable Vaccines program, we use artwork, data and dialog to encourage vaccine confidence and educate the neighborhood about sources in order that we will create a more healthy neighborhood, and we’re proud to have helped ship 650 vaccines throughout Georgia. A wholesome neighborhood is a robust neighborhood – and to me, that’s the most respected commodity over what’s imported and exported.
As a lady, as a mom, as a human, I fear about our well being and our kids’s future with RFK Jr main the Division of Well being and Human Providers. I implore that every one of us contact our native and state representatives to specific our issues over RFK’s Division of Well being and Human Providers appointment. We can’t go backwards when we now have the sources accessible to us to create a protected and wholesome place for each citizen to thrive. We should prioritize our communities’ well being and permit confirmed knowledge to information our most necessary selections that impression these which are most treasured to us.
Ariel Fristoe is the Inventive Director at Out of Hand Theater
