Kennedy Jr. Blames Fauci for Covid-19 Response as Experts Dispute His Vaccine Claims

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health Secretary, has blamed Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for the way the Covid-19 pandemic was managed in the United States.

In an interview with CNN, Kennedy also revived several disputed claims about vaccines, measles and the RSV virus that are rejected by the scientific community.

The statements came just days after Fauci testified before Congress. During the hearing, he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times, declining to answer questions that could have led to self-incrimination. Republicans sharply criticized him for his role during the pandemic.

Kennedy defended President Donald Trump, arguing that Trump had wanted to end the lockdowns and was not responsible for them.

“Trump wanted to end the lockdowns. I think the lockdowns caused the greatest harm to our country,” he said.

Experts, however, point out that most restrictions were imposed by state and local authorities at a time when an influx of patients had overwhelmed hospitals and intensive care units.

Ashish Jha, a former Covid-19 response coordinator under the Joe Biden administration, responded immediately to Kennedy’s comments.

Jha argued that political decision-making is the responsibility of political leaders, not scientists, whose role is to provide advice. He added that many of Kennedy’s claims about vaccines are factually inaccurate.

Speaking about measles, Kennedy said the hardest-hit communities are primarily religious groups that oppose vaccination. He also insisted that he has never questioned the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine.

However, Kennedy has faced criticism for previous statements in which he suggested that vaccine-induced protection may weaken over time and contribute to the spread of measles.

According to health experts, receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine provides approximately 97% protection against measles. They emphasize that outbreaks occur mainly in communities where vaccination rates are low.

Another claim made by Kennedy was that the RSV virus is linked to laboratory experiments known as “gain-of-function” research. This claim is not supported by scientific evidence, as RSV was identified as early as the late 1950s, long before such experiments were developed.

He also claimed that dozens of studies link paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism. Some research has hypothesized a possible link, but the scientific community stresses that a causal relationship has not been proven. Leading medical organizations continue to recommend the use of paracetamol during pregnancy when needed.

Kennedy also raised doubts about the benefits of Covid-19 vaccines for children, calling for evidence that they “have done more good than harm.”

Data from the World Health Organization show that more than 700 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the United States. Meanwhile, studies estimate that vaccination saved around 2.5 million lives globally during the 2020-2024 period.

Research has also found that vaccines significantly reduced the risk of infection, hospitalization and complications, including among children, while serious side effects have been rare.