Republicans Continue to Spread Vaccine Misinformation, Not Caring Who Gets Hurt in the Process
As the FDA approves vaccines for young children, millions of families across the country can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their kids will be protected from serious illness and death in the event they catch COVID-19.
Parents in Florida, however, will have a different experience since they have a governor who is dead set on making the pandemic last as long as possible, even if it means sacrificing the health of children to his own political ambitions.
Every state but Florida pre-ordered vaccines for children under the age of five. DeSantis missed a deadline, ensuring that parents who want to vaccinate their toddlers against this life-threatening disease will have to wait until Florida decides to order more. Not only that, but DeSantis is recommending against parents vaccinating their young children.
Pediatricians are devastated – this is a huge setback in the fight against COVID-19 in the state of Florida.
But Governor DeSantis isn’t the only Republican spreading misinformation about COVID-19. At a hearing this week, Senator Rand Paul once again needlessly attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci (who, by the way, is recovering from COVID-19). Paul has made it his mission to spread vaccine lies and promote hesitancy, going after Dr. Fauci to appeal to the most extreme MAGA elements of his base instead of working to end the pandemic.
Not to be outdone, Senator Ron Johnson spoke to a notorious vaccine skeptic this week, promoting a totally baseless conspiracy theory that COVID-19 vaccines are causing unexplained death and warning parents not to vaccinate their children.
Republicans are determined to make this pandemic last as long as possible by withholding federal funds for aid, and now by trying to scare parents away from protecting their children. It’s time for Republicans to be held accountable for their political posturing at the expense of the health of their own constituents.