RFK Jr. Stayed Largely Silent on Ebola as 6 Americans Were Exposed
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 7
RFK Jr. Stayed Largely Silent on Ebola as 6 Americans Were Exposed
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 7
Summary
Nearly three weeks after the WHO declared Africa's Ebola outbreak a public health emergency, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had made no public comments beyond saying, “Yeah, we’re working on it.”
Six Americans had already been exposed, yet Kennedy received very few Ebola briefings from CDC scientists even as the agency imposed travel restrictions to keep the virus from reaching the United States.
Colleagues said the health secretary has shown little interest in managing department details, focusing instead on food guidance, pesticide exposure and efforts to support his long-held anti-vaccine views.
HHS oversees health matters affecting 340 million Americans and provides care to 40% of the population through Medicare and Medicaid, but Kennedy is described as isolated from much of his top staff and reliant on a small circle of advisers.