Hawaii governor criticizes federal response as measles cases rise nationally

Gov. Green Condemns “Public Health Malpractice” as U.S. Measles Cases Surge

Gov. Josh Green of Hawaii delivered a scathing critique of the current measles outbreak spreading across the United States, calling it “absolutely public health malpractice” and “completely preventable.”

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday organized by Protect Our Care, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, Green specifically targeted U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for propagating misinformation about vaccines that prevent diseases like measles.

“In this first year of the President’s second term, they’ve kind of taken the gloves off and allowed Secretary Kennedy to just run roughshod over policy,” Green stated, adding that the Trump administration has created “a foundation of distrust” leading to “terrible outcomes.”

The governor’s remarks come amid a worsening measles crisis in South Carolina, where confirmed cases have surpassed 640 since an outbreak began in October, affecting numerous schools. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported new measles cases in at least nine states this year.

Tuesday marked 12 consecutive months of measles transmission in the United States, putting the nation at risk of losing its measles elimination status—a public health achievement earned in 2000 after decades of vaccination efforts.

Green was joined by Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, an infectious disease physician and former director for CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician from South Carolina. All three medical professionals attributed the current situation to Kennedy’s anti-vaccine rhetoric.

“If we lose measles elimination status, it will be a clear indicator that our public health infrastructure needs urgent revitalization,” Daskalakis warned, “and that we must commit to science-driven policies rather than the ideological policies that we have seen in the last year.”

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department pushed back against these accusations. Press secretary Emily Hilliard called the claims baseless, stating, “Under Secretary Kennedy, CDC surged resources, and multiple states declared measles outbreaks over in 2025.” She emphasized that vaccination remains the most effective prevention method and that all vaccines on the CDC schedule, including MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), continue to be covered by insurance.

Hilliard suggested that public confidence in health institutions was damaged during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in states with prolonged mandates and inconsistent messaging.

Green, who led a critical medical mission to Samoa during a devastating 2019 measles outbreak that resulted in 83 deaths, emphasized the serious nature of the disease. “It can cause pneumonia, it can cause encephalitis or brain inflammation, and it can cause permanent disability and death,” he said.

“It’s absolutely deadly serious,” Green added, “and it’s completely preventable because two shots of the measles vaccine, MMR, are 97% effective.”

Dr. Andrews noted that many parents have misconceptions about measles, often asking if it’s just a cold. While many patients experience mild symptoms like fever, rash, and respiratory issues, measles can lead to severe complications including pneumonia resulting in respiratory failure, or encephalitis causing seizures, permanent neurological damage, or death.

The situation in South Carolina reflects a concerning trend nationwide. Andrews described a “slow and steady decrease in vaccination rates” that created “a perfect environment for the current measles outbreak.”

Hawaii, while reporting only two travel-related measles cases last year, faces its own vaccination challenges. The state’s kindergartner MMR vaccination rate stands at 89.9% for the 2024-25 school year, below the national rate of 92.5% and well short of the 95% threshold experts consider necessary for herd immunity against measles.

Meanwhile, grassroots opposition to mandated vaccinations is growing in Hawaii. A campaign called “Keep Vaccinations Optional” has organized events across the islands, opposing required immunizations for school attendance. The group planned a rally at the state Capitol to protest legislation that would eliminate religious exemptions for school vaccinations.

According to the CDC, over 2,200 confirmed measles cases were reported across 45 U.S. states in 2025, resulting in three deaths. By mid-January of the current year, 171 cases have been reported, primarily affecting unvaccinated children or those with unknown vaccination status.

In response to the South Carolina outbreak, HHS reported providing $1.4 million in financial assistance and noted that the CDC stands ready to supply vaccines, therapeutics, and physician-administered vitamin A.