Fox News host Megyn Kelly voiced support for mandatory vaccinations in the wake of the measles outbreak that has sparked a national debate on the issue.
While appearing on the "O'Reilly Factor" with Bill O'Reilly, Kelly said that the issue of mandatory vaccines is likely to be a topic of debate during the presidential election in 2016 because it's about "Big Brother, but . . . some things do require the involvement of Big Brother."
While Kelly defended those who didn't vaccinate their children "years ago," due to "bad information," she says that "now there's good information," showing that vaccines are safe.
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When asked by O'Reilly if she's opposed to mandatory vaccinations for children, Kelly said, "No."
"I want to say on the record, I have three children under the age of 6. I vaccinated all of them. On time. As the doctor prescribed. Nothing was delayed," she explained.
The host of the "Kelly File" says that for the country to be protected from the diseases addressed by the vaccines, "they're looking for about 95 percent of the community to be immune to protect all of us," explaining that right now experts say that number has fallen below that.
Both President Barack Obama and then-presidential candidate John McCain suggested that there might be a
link between vaccines and autism while on the campaign trail in 2008.
Obama has now changed his position in full support of vaccines, but Kelly also forgave the statements the president made in the past, adding that "the science wasn't even as certain as it is today.
"It is very certain today," she added.
Potential Republican presidential candidate and former pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson also voiced support for making vaccinations mandatory.
"Although I strongly believe in individual rights and the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit, I also recognize that public health and public safety are extremely important in our society,"
Carson said.
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