U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has reached out to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., seeking his support in addressing a significant pertussis outbreak in Louisiana.
In his letter to Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Cassidy noted that Louisiana is facing its worst pertussis outbreak in 35 years, with two infant deaths and 368 reported cases according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most hospitalizations have involved babies under one year old. Dr. Cassidy highlighted that other states are also dealing with their own pertussis outbreaks.
“In my state of Louisiana, we are experiencing the worst pertussis outbreak in 35 years. The outbreak has already killed two babies,” wrote Dr. Cassidy.
“I want to work together to stop pertussis. Your strong public support for this vaccine will save lives,” continued Dr. Cassidy. “Families responded to your decisive leadership when you clearly promoted the MMR vaccine to stop the outbreak in West Texas. They would respond again to your call that the DTaP vaccine is the best way to protect our babies.”
Dr. Cassidy referenced a measles outbreak earlier this year in West Texas, where Secretary Kennedy had publicly encouraged families to get the MMR vaccine following two child deaths and multiple hospitalizations from measles.
He cited Secretary Kennedy’s earlier remarks: “[v]accines 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.” He thanked Secretary Kennedy for promoting vaccination during that crisis and drew parallels between measles and pertussis risks.
Cassidy pointed out that among those hospitalized with pertussis in Louisiana, 75 percent were either unvaccinated or not up-to-date on vaccinations against the disease.
The senator also referenced recent comments by President Trump supporting vaccination: “you have vaccines that work. They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all… And I think those vaccines should be used otherwise some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people… I think people should take it.”
Cassidy called on Secretary Kennedy for a public reaffirmation of support for the DTaP vaccine as a measure he believes will reassure families across Louisiana and the United States about its safety and effectiveness against pertussis.
“We can ensure that no child dies from a vaccine-preventable disease,” wrote Cassidy.
