WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 22: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) talks with reporters in during a recess in the impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol on January 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, which started Tuesday, resumes today and is expected to last three to five more weeks. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Despite Republican party leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) being vaccinated against COVID-19 in December and encouraging Americans to get vaccinated as well, some GOP lawmakers are undermining the federal vaccination effort by showing distrust of the highly-effective vaccines.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), who had COVID-19 previously, broke from CDC guidelines. “I have not chosen to be vaccinated because I got it naturally and the science of 30 million people — and the statistical validity of a 30 million sample — is pretty overwhelming that natural immunity exists and works,” at a Senate hearing Tuesday. The CDC recommends that even if Americans have already contracted COVID-19 there is not conclusive evidence as to how long the body maintains natural immunity. So it is recommending that all Americans who can should get vaccinated.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) voiced further skepticism in the same hearing. “I’m still looking at it, I’m listening to my doctor,” he said, even though the overwhelming medical consensus on COVID-19 vaccines is that they are all fully safe and effective.
Paving the way for skeptics, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) praised vaccines, but also validated the views of those weary of the vaccine. “I’m very glad we have a vaccine,” he said. “I’m certainly encouraging people to get vaccinated, but I also think it’s a choice for individual Americans to make.”
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