As The New York Times reviews, Dr. Fiscus is only one of at the least 181 public well being officers in 38 states who’ve been pressured from their jobs, or pressured into resignation, by Republicans politicizing COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccinations.
“It’s only a large symptom of simply how poisonous the entire political panorama has develop into,” Dr. Fiscus stated on Tuesday. “This virus is apolitical—it doesn’t care who you’re or the place you reside or which president you most well-liked.”
However that’s not what the Tennessee division of well being is saying. Questioned about their vaccine stance, the company issued a press release that claims: “Being that reliable messenger means we’re aware of hesitancy and the extreme nationwide dialog that affects what number of households consider vaccinations generally. We’re merely aware of how sure ways may harm that progress.”
In different phrases—as a result of Republicans are pushing again towards vaccines, we’ve stopped supporting vaccines. This isn’t an apolitical place. It’s a place that claims when the reality is confronted by lies, the reality ought to again down in order to not offend the liar.
Stopping vaccine outreach and halting in-school vaccine occasions can have one, clear, simply definable end result—pointless dying or long-term sickness for youngsters who don’t get the vaccines that ought to have been not simply obtainable to them, however promoted to them. What the Tennessee division of well being is aware of, and what Tennessee Republicans additionally know, is that COVID-19 represents a dire risk to kids and adults. Silence and withdrawal within the face of that risk isn’t performing to protect the general public well being by any stretch of the creativeness. It’s give up. It’s cowardice.
The Tennessee well being division is intentionally eradicating the names of these underneath 18 from its mailing listing in order that they don’t obtain any postcards updating them on vaccine efficacy or vaccination occasions. In accordance with the division that is being finished in order that they don’t seem to be “doubtlessly interpreted as solicitation to minors.” It is a time period normally reserved for unlawful actions. Tennessee is treating sending children data on vaccines as if it’s the identical as making an attempt to lure them behind the barn for intercourse.
Having banished all dialogue of vaccines, it’s unclear whether or not Tennessee shall be sending out postcards on leeches, or will merely be bringing barbers to highschool to instantly deal with medically required bloodletting. In both case, it’s clear they’ve allowed themselves to be bullied into the Center Ages as a result of they’re extra involved about offending Republicans within the state legislature than genuinely safeguarding the well being of the state.
Complaints in regards to the politicization of COVID-19 don’t adequately seize what’s taking place. Democrats aren’t politicizing the virus, Republicans are, and have been doing so from the outset. Precisely reporting on a public well being risk and advising individuals to take precautions, vs. downplaying that risk and actively interfering in therapy isn’t “proper vs. left.” It’s, for need of higher phrases, proper vs. incorrect. Good vs. evil. America vs. home terrorists which are making an attempt to do the nation hurt.
