GOP Gov. Of Least Vaccinated State Ready To ‘Start Blaming The Unvaccinated Folks’ For Rise In COVID Cases

It seems like some Republican leaders are getting fed up with their party’s base refusing to be vaccinated. Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey said that “unvaccinated folks” are responsible for the rise in COVID-19 cases in her state.

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Asked what it will take to up the vaccination rate in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) snaps: “I don’t know, you tell me! Folks supposed to have common sense. It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks.”

(For more context, Ivey signed a ban on vaccine passports back in May.) pic.twitter.com/ZUMVDm4QHi

— The Recount (@therecount) July 23, 2021

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In the past, many Republican leaders have been quiet about encouraging people to get their vaccine—but as the virus continues to rise in many parts of the country, it might be time for them to be louder about getting the shot.

“Folks are supposed to have common sense. But it’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down,” Ivey told reporters in Birmingham. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alabama is currently the least vaccinated state—and cases are rising at alarming levels.

A quick Google search shows that in May, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill that prohibited private businesses and public institutions from requiring COVID-19 “vaccine passports” to access services or refusing those not inoculated.

So, “I don’t know, you tell me,” huh? https://t.co/fDO6pW984v

— John Lee (@koreanforeigner) July 23, 2021

“The new cases of Covid are because of unvaccinated folks. Almost 100% of the new hospitalizations are with unvaccinated folks. And the deaths are certainly occurring with unvaccinated folks,” Ivey said.

“We’ve got to get folks to take the shot,” she continued, calling the vaccine “the greatest weapon we have to fight Covid.”

In April, Ivey ended the state’s mask mandate and in May she signed a bill prohibiting business or government entities from barring unvaccinated people from entering.

I’ve signed SB 267!

Since the development of the #COVID19 vaccine, both Dr. Harris & I have said that we wouldn’t mandate vaccines in AL. I’m supportive of a voluntary vaccine & by signing this bill into law, I’m only further solidifying that conviction. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/Sw23e1eIfz

— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) May 24, 2021

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But now with the Delta variant spreading, experts are suggesting that vaccinated and unvaccinated people should wear masks in places where cases are high and vaccination rates are low.

When asked about whether or not children who are too young to receive the vaccine should wear masks when returning to school, Ivey said that the school districts would make that choice.

Featured Image: Twitter

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*First Published: July 23, 2021, 12:14 pm