Q-Anonesque conspiracy theories and personal attacks on state and national healthcare leaders were rampant at yesterday’s House Health and Welfare Committee meeting where members voted 13-2 against an attempt to add COVID to the list of required vaccines for students.
After hearing from anti-vax activist Robert Kennedy Jr, nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy and son of Senator Robert Kennedy, State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter sat down for over an hour of grilling from skeptical lawmakers. Kanter, who supports the policy, blasted Kennedy’s vaccine misinformation campaign and warned that falsehoods about the COVID vaccine can be deadly.
“As a practicing emergency physician I can tell you first hand of the patients that I have cared for that fell victim to mis and disinformation, and some who paid the ultimate price,” said Kanter.
Kanter said vaccines are not perfect and don’t prevent 100% of deaths and infections, but they are by far the best tool available to fight the spread of coronavirus.
“The vaccines available to us are a true gift, the fruits of a bipartisan and interdisciplinary development process that exemplifies the very best of what America can achieve, a medical and public health feat of herculean proportions,” said Kanter.
After he finished members of the public spent about the next six hours speaking in front of the committee, even after the vote was held. The testimony included a range of opinions, from those who opposed the mandate on the grounds that It was an intrusive government policy, to full-blown Q-Anon-style conspiracies involving secret trials.
Many parents testified, saying they had taken the vaccine themselves but wanted to see more evidence before letting their kids have the shot, and didn’t want schools to pressure them into doing so. Others said even though the requirement had an easy loophole out of it that adoption would lead to discrimination against non-vaccinated kids. Still, others called for Dr. Kanter, Governor Edwards, and others to be fired, arrested, or worse.
You can listen to a sample of the testimony below:
Under the policy, next fall students 16 and older would either need to be vaccinated or have their parents fill out a vaccine exemption form, similar to other required vaccines. Governor John Bel Edwards is likely to override the vote, allowing the Louisiana Department of Health to move forward with implementing the policy.