Health
RFK Jr. recommends measles vaccines for community immunity while supporting personal choice
Amid the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, Fox News’ senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel sat down with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in an exclusive interview to discuss contagion concerns.
“The new Health and Human Services secretary told me he is recommending vaccines for the purpose of community immunity,” Siegel told Fox News’ Sandra Smith on “America Reports” following the Tuesday interview.
“He’s working with Texas health officials to provide many more doses of the shot in Texas.”
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At the same time, RFK Jr. continues to believe in personal choice, Siegel added.
During the interview, RFK Jr. noted that most of the people impacted in Texas are part of the Mennonite community, including an unvaccinated girl who tragically died.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke to Fox News’ senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel in an exclusive interview on Tuesday, March 4, to discuss the measles outbreak. (Fox News)
While the HHS secretary does recommend vaccines for “highly unvaccinated communities like the Mennonites,” he acknowledged that there’s “a lot of mistrust in vaccines.”
“There are people who cannot be — and should not be — vaccinated in that community, because they have autoimmune diseases or other immune problems,” he said. “If you do get vaccinated, you’re protecting those people from a possible spread.”
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Kennedy is also calling for more transparency and more studies on vaccines, as well as accurate reporting of vaccine injury, Siegel said.
A “startling” 108 people were treated for measles in Texas in the last 48 hours, RFK Jr. noted.
Therapies such as the use of cod liver oil, which contains vitamins A and D, “are working,” he said.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 159 measles cases since late Jan. 2025. (iStock)
Cases of measles continue to spread following the initial outbreak in Texas.
As of Tuesday, March 4, the Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 159 cases since late January.
Twenty-two patients have been hospitalized in Texas since the outbreak began in the state’s South Plains region.
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Last week, Texas reported the first measles death – a school-aged child who lived in the area and was not vaccinated against the virus.
The agency warned that due to the highly contagious nature of measles, additional cases are “likely to occur” in surrounding communities.
The virus has spread outside Texas borders, with the CDC reporting 164 cases nationwide as of Feb. 27. (iStock)
The disease has since spread outside Texas borders, with the CDC reporting 164 cases nationwide as of Feb. 27.
Cases have been detected in Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas.
Pennsylvania has also reported its first case in Montgomery County, according to local news sources.
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Fox Weather reported on Monday that this Pennsylvania case led to a traveler warning at New York City’s JFK Airport.
Officials cautioned that individuals who traveled within and from Terminal 4 of the airport on Feb. 25 may have been exposed, and some may have already been contacted about potential infection.
Most of the U.S. cases have occurred among unvaccinated, school-aged children, according to the CDC.
The best way to prevent infection is to be immunized with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to experts. (iStock)
There have been nearly 200 reported cases since the beginning of the year. In 2024, there were 285 cases for the entire year, per the CDC.
Forty percent of those infected last year were hospitalized for isolation or management of complications.
Texas health officials emphasized that the best way to prevent infection is to be immunized with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The virus can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the infected person has departed, doctors caution.
Health
Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
Health
One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Health
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