Ron Johnson questions ‘big push’ to vaccinate ‘everybody’

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) in a Thursday podcast interview cast doubt on the importance of vaccinating the nation for COVID-19, saying he’s getting “highly suspicious” of the “big push to make sure everybody gets the vaccine.”

“The science tells us that vaccines are 95 percent effective, so if you have a vaccine, quite honestly, what do you care if your neighbor has one or not?” Johnson said during an appearance on “The Vicki McKenna Show.” He also asked “what’s the point” of striving to get “everybody” the COVID-19 shot.

“Why is this big push to make sure everybody gets a vaccine, and it’s to the point where you better impose it, you’re gonna shame people, you’re gonna force them to carry a card to prove that they’ve been vaccinated so they can just be in society,” he added.

Democrats seize: The liberal super PAC American Bridge 21st Century released a statement condemning Johnson’s remarks, saying he was discouraging his constituents from getting the vaccine.

“Ron Johnson’s rhetoric is dangerously irresponsible and will prolong the pandemic by discouraging people from getting vaccinated,” spokesperson Zach Hudson said. “More people will get COVID and die due to Ron Johnson’s comments yesterday. He’s a disgrace and Wisconsin can’t get rid of him soon enough.”

Fauci responds: Anthony Fauci told MSNBC said the “point” is “we have 567,000 people who have died so far in this country from this disease. That is a really, really good reason to get people vaccinated.”