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Conservative politicians in the United States gathered at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas over the weekend to reaffirm their positions on various issues, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, instead of discussing how to increase vaccination rates, the focus seemed to be on discouraging people from getting vaccinated.
Alex Berenson, a well-known right-leaning commentator criticized for spreading misinformation, spoke at CPAC, celebrating the country’s failure to reach a vaccination goal. He mentioned that the government had hoped for a high vaccination rate but that it hadn’t materialized. The audience cheered in response to his remarks.
In response to these sentiments, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the President and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, expressed worry. He emphasized the importance of setting aside ideological differences and urged people to consider getting vaccinated for their own safety and that of their families and communities.
“They are cheering about someone saying that it’s a good thing for people not to try and save their lives.” https://t.co/t41Sq52FgP
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) July 12, 2021
Dr. Fauci found it concerning that individuals were celebrating the idea of not taking steps to protect their own lives. He questioned why anyone would cheer for such a stance and called for clearer thinking on the matter. He highlighted the potential need for vaccine mandates if the pandemic situation worsens.