In a televised town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire on May 23, 2019, Messam responded to a question about vaccines, saying:
“The latest reports in terms of the resurgence of measles shows the importance of vaccinations… I think from a public safety standpoint we have to rely on the science, we have to rely on the data that it’s in our nations best interest to ensure that every individual is vaccinated. Otherwise we threaten our society…. So I support individuals taking those intimate medical decisions between themselves and their healthcare professional but as commander in chief and President of the United States, we have to rely on the CDC and the recommendations on how do we prevent this massive spread of diseases… That’s why we have these vaccinations to protect all of society, and we can’t put all of society at risk for single individuals who may for whatever reason make that personal decision not to vaccinate their child.”
