It is a sad reality: Americans cannot trust RFK Jr. and his health agencies | Opinion

A work colleague was lamenting the other day that he could not get a COVID shot as the flu and cold season approaches.

He had routinely done it in past years. But now, with different guidance from the federal government, COVID vaccinations are being restricted to those who are 65 years old and older, or those who have serious health conditions. My co-worker does not meet the criteria.

The new guidance, handed down by the Food and Drug Administration last month, is a major break from the previous practice launched in the pandemic. Previously, anyone 6 months and older could get a COVID vaccination, regardless of their health. After all, COVID is highly infectious. Why not extend protection to anyone who wants it?

I can still get one this fall, as I am over age 65 (barely) and officially a senior citizen (unbelievable). But the changing guidance has left me with a new ailment: I cannot trust the federal government anymore for health advice.

Those who are fans of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are probably like him, meaning they haven’t trusted federal health agencies for years. But Kennedy, Trump’s pick to lead Health and Human Services, is making a shambles of America’s health programs that, for decades, have been the envy of the world. There are reasons Americans enjoy a high standard of living, and our health agencies are among them.

Just in recent months, Kennedy has cut the leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He fired Director Susan Monarez because she would not endorse his unscientific directives. Four other top CDC officials resigned in protest.

Kennedy also swept out the entire 17-member vaccine advisory committee, and replaced most with vaccine skeptics.

In perhaps his worst act, Kennedy cut $500 million from mRNA vaccine research. That is the technology that allows drug manufacturers to more quickly create, test and ratify vaccines.

Kennedy appeared before a Senate committee and got grilled about the changes he has made. Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, asked Kennedy if he accepted as fact that 1 million Americans died in the COVID pandemic. Here is a transcript of their exchange:

Kennedy: I don’t know how many died.

Warner: You’re the secretary of Health and Human Services. You don’t have any idea how many Americans died from COVID?

Kennedy: I don’t think anybody knows that because the… there was so much data chaos coming out of the CDC and there were so many —

Warner: You don’t know the answer of how many Americans died from COVID? This is the secretary of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy kept up the denials, saying the data from CDC could not be trusted, despite the fact it gets peer reviewed for accuracy. But Kennedy’s ignorance is exceeded only by his arrogance. He acts as if only he can Make America Healthy Again, which, of course, is his play of words off MAGA.

He aims to remove dyes from our foods. I’m good with that. But limiting proven vaccines and continually voicing skepticism about them, as Kennedy has done for years? Nope.

Kennedy is too dangerous; his views cannot be trusted. Nor can health agencies under his lead, sadly.

States fill public health void

Thankfully, I won’t be alone in the quest to stay healthy. The governors of California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii have formed an alliance with a single goal: To provide their residents with the best public health advice, based on scientific study.

In a joint statement issued Sept. 3, the governors blamed Trump for “the mass firing of CDC doctors and scientists — and his blatant politicization of the agency.”

Said the governors: “The CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science, ideology that will lead to severe health consequences. California, Oregon and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk.” Hawaii joined the alliance the following day.

Instead, the four states will base their policies on the expertise of “trusted scientists, clinicians, and other public health leaders.” National medical organizations will help the states on their immunization recommendations. “This will allow residents to receive consistent, science-based recommendations they can rely on — regardless of shifting federal actions,” the governors said in their statement.

Who is more believable — the American Medical Association or RFK Jr.? For me, that’s a no-brainer.

Skepticism rightly used

When the pandemic was still raging, California Gov. Gavin Newsom required schools to close and mandated mask wearing indoors to limit the disease’s spread. Those decisions were unpopular with many Californians. Trust in state government went down.

So why put faith in this alliance now? Just compare what RFK Jr. does with what the alliance does, and act accordingly.

I am a longtime newsman with a heavy dose of skepticism. But I try to stick with what works: I got immunized against childhood diseases and thankfully avoided them. I get flu shots, and have had COVID vaccines and have avoided it, too. I remain a “NOVID.”

If someone doesn’t want to get a vaccine, that’s their prerogative. But don’t take that opportunity away completely, as the FDA has done now for most people when it comes to COVID.

That sort of regulation is not going to make America healthy — ever.

This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM with the headline "It is a sad reality: Americans cannot trust RFK Jr. and his health agencies | Opinion."

Tad Weber

Opinion Contributor,

The Fresno Bee

Tad Weber is an opinion writer at The Fresno Bee.