How Anti-Science Rhetoric Is Endangering America — Again
- louassarowvhouse
- Oct 29
- 2 min read
The Trump administration’s legacy of anti-science messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cast a deadly shadow. From undermining vaccine confidence to dismantling public health infrastructure, the consequences have been measurable — and tragic. Now, West Virginia’s GOP is echoing that same dangerous playbook, targeting childhood immunization laws that have protected generations of kids.
🦠 From COVID Chaos to CDC Collapse
During the height of the pandemic, the Trump administration repeatedly downplayed the severity of COVID-19, promoted unproven treatments like hydroxychloroquine, and politicized mask mandates and vaccines. Despite receiving the vaccine himself, Trump’s messaging often contradicted public health experts, fueling skepticism and resistance.
The damage didn’t stop there. Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee was gutted and restaffed with individuals lacking traditional medical backgrounds. The agency dropped recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children — a move that alarmed pediatricians nationwide. These shifts weren’t based on new science, but on ideology and misinformation.
🧒 West Virginia’s GOP Follows Suit
Senate Bill 460, passed by the WV Senate in early 2025, seeks to weaken one of the strongest childhood immunization laws in the country. It introduces broad religious and philosophical exemptions, removes oversight by the state immunization officer, and prohibits schools from excluding unvaccinated children from events or activities.
This bill ignores decades of medical consensus and opens the door to preventable outbreaks of measles, polio, and other deadly diseases. Pediatricians and public health experts warn that such exemptions will lower vaccination rates and increase community risk — especially for immunocompromised children.
📉 The Cost of Anti-Vax Politics
The CDC reports that nearly 90% of children who died from the flu last year were not fully vaccinated. In states with lax vaccine laws, outbreaks of measles and mumps have surged. West Virginia, once a national leader in childhood immunization compliance, now risks joining those ranks.
This isn’t about personal freedom — it’s about public safety. When lawmakers choose ideology over evidence, children suffer. The Trump-era erosion of trust in science has metastasized into state-level policy, and West Virginia families deserve better. In the upcoming 2026 WV elections, you'll have a choice. I'm Lou Assaro, and I'm running for the West Virginia House of Delegates, District 69.
