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 current appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK) as Secretary to the Division of Well being and Human Companies is past regarding. RFK isn’t a health care provider, 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 may result in main will increase in preventable and critical sicknesses, outbreaks and deaths.
COVID-19 and its varied mutations are nonetheless very a lot a part of our day by day panorama. In keeping with the World Well being Group (WHO), greater than 7 million COVID-related deaths have been reported since 2020 worldwide, almost 2 million deaths have been recorded in 2020 alone. The primary vaccines have 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!
Illnesses like smallpox and the bubonic plague have 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, stories of measles went from 4 instances in 2023 to 285 in 2024. 9 of those instances required hospitalization. The affected people embody six kids underneath 4 years outdated, 16 people aged 5-17, and two adults over 18 – the numbers rise as the times go by with 124 instances in in Texas in 2025 alone. We can’t and shouldn’t be going backwards the place drugs is anxious.
Well being specialists are involved that rising nonmedical vaccine exemptions amongst schoolchildren may result in extra frequent outbreaks. Declining vaccination charges are worrisome as measles could cause critical sickness, together with hospitalization and mind swelling. I’m not a health care provider nor a scientist, however I place my belief within the precise docs and scientists who’ve the higher good in thoughts when creating 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 group about assets in order that we will create a more healthy group, and we’re proud to have helped ship 650 vaccines throughout Georgia. A wholesome group is a powerful group – and to me, that’s the most useful commodity over what’s imported and exported.
As a girl, as a mom, as a human, I fear about our well being and our youngsters’s future with RFK Jr main the Division of Well being and Human Companies. I implore that every one of us contact our native and state representatives to precise our considerations over RFK’s Division of Well being and Human Companies appointment. We can’t go backwards when we’ve the assets accessible to us to create a secure and wholesome place for each citizen to thrive. We should prioritize our communities’ well being and permit confirmed information to information our most essential choices that affect these which are most treasured to us.
Ariel Fristoe is the Creative Director at Out of Hand Theater
