Former CDC director warns: ‘Second measles wave almost guaranteed’ at Florida's Ave Maria University

AVE MARIA, Fla. —

Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joined Ave Maria residents in a virtual meeting to address the Ave Maria University measles outbreak and help educate the importance of getting the MMR vaccine.

South Health and Ave Maria Biotech hosted the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Redfield said a second wave of measles at Ave Maria is almost guaranteed. He discussed the possibility of a third and fourth wave but said it is not guaranteed.

This also comes after a parent who tested positive for measles visited the Guadalupe Center's Van Otterloo campus in Immokalee last week.

Redfield emphasized that measles is a preventable disease, with the measles vaccine offering 97.98% protection against the virus. He highlighted the vaccine's safety and its role in protecting not only individuals but also vulnerable groups such as newborns, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.

Redfield said, "Once you get vaccinated, you're going to be protected. If you get to two shots, you're going to be protected for life." "All deaths from measles are preventable deaths."

Addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly among religious communities, Redfield shared his personal experiences with the Vatican and clarified misconceptions.

"I would say that the public health community at large is much less trusted today than they were before the COVID pandemic, because I do think there were so many mistakes that were made during the COVID pandemic, and not to mention the least of which was how the vaccine was deployed and used and mandated so it's going to take awhile a while for the public health community to regain that. That vaccine should have never been mandated. It never prevented infection," said Redfield.

"The days of believing authorities because they are an authoritative position are over. The way to convince people to follow recommendations is to provide them evidence that the recommends, recommendations are not arbitrary or politically motivated, but they're based on science. We need to clearly provide the content we need to admit when we're wrong, and we need to be willing to change as the data change. Policy recommendations are never going to be a perfect science, but our commitment to science and telling the American public the truth, we will save lives."

Redfield discussed the potential use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) for those unable to receive the vaccine, such as pregnant women or individuals undergoing cancer treatment.

"I really don't think it's a viable long-term alternative, except for in those settings where patients have no other option," said Redfield.

"People that have just chosen not to get vaccinated, that are at risk in an outbreak setting. We have an alternative for them. They quarantine for 21 days, so they stay out of circulation," said Redfield.

However, he stressed that vaccination remains the most effective long-term protection.

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