Measles vaccine lasts decades, experts say, pushing back on RFK Jr.

As United States Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges Americans to get the measles vaccine, he's also casting doubt on it.

As United States Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges Americans to get the measles vaccine, he’s also casting doubt on it — claiming its protection fades “very quickly.”

But experts say that’s simply not true, pointing out that the vaccine can provide protection for decades, if not a lifetime.

During a Wednesday interview with CBS News, Kennedy was asked about the growing measles outbreak in the U.S., particularly in Texas, where a second child has died from the disease.

The U.S. has had more than 607 measles cases in 22 states this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency estimated that about one in five unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles will need hospitalization.

As the measles outbreak continues, Kennedy said he encourages people to get vaccinated but does not believe it should be required by the government. He also questioned how effective the vaccine is.

“We’re always going to have measles, no matter what happens, as the vaccine wanes very quickly,” Kennedy said.

While he acknowledged that the vaccine helps limit the spread of measles, Kennedy said some people don’t want to get it — and that it should be their choice.

“And we want to be able to treat them. We ought to know how to treat them and doctors should have the best information on how to treat them,” he said.