House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) received his first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination after holding out for months.
“Especially with the delta variant becoming a lot more aggressive and seeing another spike, it was a good time to do it,” he said, as Nola reports.
He added, “When you talk to people who run hospitals, in New Orleans or other states, 90% of people in hospital with delta variant have not been vaccinated. That’s another signal the vaccine works.”
The outlet notes Scalise said in April and May he would get vaccinated “soon.”
According to Scalise, one of the reasons he waited was because he previously tested positive for Covid antibodies and believed he had some immunity.
Calling it “safe and effective,” Scalise added, “It was heavily tested on thousands of people before the FDA gave its approval. Some people believe that it might have been rushed. That’s not the case. I’ve been vocal about that for months. I know their process has high standards. The FDA approval process is probably the most respected in the world.”
Scalise said he would encourage others to get it but they should not be “shamed into getting it.”
He continued, “It’s their choice.”
According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, 47% of Republicans said they were not likely to get vaccinated.
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on why he believes people are hesitant to get the vaccine, as IJR reported.
“Joe Biden kept talking about how good of a job he’s doing on the distribution of the Vaccine that was developed by Operation War Speed or, quite simply, the Trump Administration. He’s not doing well at all,” Trump said in a Sunday statement.
He added, “He’s way behind schedule, and people are refusing to take the Vaccine because they don’t trust his Administration, they don’t trust the election results, and they certainly don’t trust the Fake News, which is refusing to tell them the Truth.”