When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as America’s secretary of health and human services, neutral observers might have asked themselves: Would it be possible for a lawyer who had questioned the safety of childhood vaccinations for two decades to look at the available data and reconsider his views?

In Texas specifically, a total of 223 people have contracted measles since the outbreak began in January, with at least 29 people, mostly children, requiring hospitalization. One child, who was unvaccinated, has died from measles, while a second unvaccinated person’s death is currently being investigated by health officials.