Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, declared in a brand new interview that the COVID-19 emergency is “over” and that he gained’t be implementing one other statewide masks mandate in response to the unfold of the omicron variant, explaining that if individuals aren’t vaccinated at this level it’s their “personal darn fault” in the event that they get sick.
“Everyone had greater than sufficient alternative to get vaccinated,” Polis told Colorado Public Radio on Friday. “Hopefully it’s been at your pharmacy, your grocery retailer, a bus close to you, [or at] large occasions. At this level, for those who haven’t been vaccinated, it’s actually your personal darn fault.”
“Those that get sick, it’s nearly completely their very own darn fault,” he continued. “I don’t wish to say that no one [will get the virus if they’re] vaccinated, however it’s very uncommon. Simply to place it in perspective, of the about 1400 individuals hospitalized, lower than 200 (or 16 %) are vaccinated. And plenty of of them are older or produce other circumstances. Eighty-four % of the individuals in our hospitals are unvaccinated, and so they completely had each probability to get vaccinated.”
“And at this level, I feel it’s nearly like they made a deliberate determination to not get vaccinated,” he added. “I nonetheless encourage everyone who hasn’t been vaccinated to get protected. And for individuals who are, be sure that to get that booster after six months. The information exhibits it’s vital and really seemingly much more so with this omicron variant.”
Polis mentioned he supported native jurisdictions instituting their very own mandates in line with their particular person wants, however that the state ought to keep out of it.
“The emergency is over,” he mentioned. “You realize, public well being [officials] don’t get to inform individuals what to put on; that’s simply not their job. Public well being [officials] would say to at all times put on a masks as a result of it decreases flu and reduces [other airborne illnesses]. However that’s not one thing that you simply require; you don’t inform individuals what to put on. You don’t inform individuals to put on a jacket after they exit in winter and drive them to [wear it]. In the event that they get frostbite, it’s their very own darn fault.
“In the event you haven’t been vaccinated, that’s your selection. I respect that. However it’s your fault while you’re within the hospital with COVID,” he added.
Polis lamented that there’s an “alternate misinformation universe” contributing to individuals not getting vaccinated.
“There are those who consider you and I are a part of some huge conspiracy, Ryan,” he informed “Colorado Issues” host Ryan Warner. “A few of them consider there is no such thing as a COVID; a few of them consider the vaccine doesn’t work; some consider that the vaccine has extreme unwanted effects. The reality is that they’re in their very own bubble, and it’s very laborious to penetrate.”
The governor’s feedback comply with new restrictions instituted in a number of Denver metro space counties, together with a “vax or masks” mandate, which requires companies to both mandate masks indoors or require prospects to supply proof of vaccination.
