Republican Senator Questions Vaccine Differences Over Time
On Thursday, Republican Senator Mark Wayne Marin from Oklahoma left CNN host Cassie Hunt a bit puzzled when he voiced support for childhood vaccinations. He posed a question about how many vaccines children received in 1980 compared to what’s expected in 2025.
At a Senate Finance Committee hearing that day, some Democrats criticized Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for questioning certain vaccines for children, with some even calling for his resignation. In the midst of discussing these concerns, Hunt asked Marin if he thinks more kids could get sick if they don’t keep up with the recommended vaccination schedule, noting that his state mandates six different vaccines for school attendance.
Marin, responding to Hunt, inquired whether she knew the total number of vaccines given to children today. Hunt guessed Kennedy’s answer would be around 76, though she acknowledged the HHS estimates could be a bit vague.
Marin pressed further, asking, “And what was that in 1980?”
“Sir, I didn’t vaccinate the kids back then, so I wouldn’t know!” Hunt replied. She explained that she’s currently aware of upcoming vaccines.
Back in the 1980s, children typically received about 8 to 10 vaccine doses covering roughly 6 to 7 diseases before they started school, according to the CDC. Comparatively, by 2025, the CDC anticipates over 30 doses aimed at more than 16 diseases.
“And I should highlight that 76 can be misleading,” Hunt noted. “That figure is used by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and includes the multiple doses required for vaccines like MMR, which need three shots for full coverage.”
Marin replied, “Okay, but is that effective? … If 76% of the population deals with chronic illnesses, and considering that one in ten children now has autism, what’s that say about our health as a nation?”
Hunt continued to question Republican senators, asking why this topic had come up again. Marin said it’s still uncertain if vaccines actually cause autism, yet Kennedy raised doubts about established science.
Hunt expressed she was uncomfortable with the risk of children dying from measles and pressed Marin to encourage fellow Republicans not to adopt an anti-vaccination stance regarding measles.
“For years, many children have died from measles in this country,” Hunt added.
Marin took the discussion in a different direction, bringing up issues related to the southern border and mentioning that over 20 million people reportedly entered illegally during the Biden administration, many unvaccinated. He suggested a link between this situation and the diseases entering the country.
During the hearing, Kennedy discussed what he deemed the CDC’s significant failures during Covid-19 closures, including detrimental policies affecting small businesses and extended school closures, even implying a lack of transparency in child-related policies.
The CDC has faced substantial criticism regarding its recommendations and management of Covid-19, especially concerning vaccines. In 2022, the agency presented a pre-publication study to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, warning about Covid-19 risks for children. However, the data was widely considered misleading, yet the committee voted to recommend a Covid-19 vaccine for younger children aged 6 months to 4 years.
