Once skeptics, these Coast GOP senators are now vaccinated. ‘It’s scary out there.’
OK, young “whippersnappers,” it’s time to get vaccinated, says Republican Sen. Jeremy England, who received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine and is publicizing the need for younger people to get vaccinated in Mississippi.
“It’s our time, whippersnappers,” England, 38, wrote on Facebook. “Let’s take our own advice and get vaccinated. Historically, we know it is the right thing to do.”
England joins Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann in urging fellow Mississippians to get vaccinated as the highly contagious delta variant fells increasingly younger Mississippians and leads to a record number of new cases.
Sen. Joel Carter, who also had been on the fence about vaccines, finally talked to his doctor and got vaccinated, too.
But he is taking Gov. Tate Reeves’ approach in saying only that it was the right decision for him and Mississippians should consult their doctors about vaccines.
“The infection numbers among the unvaccinated made me pull the trigger,” said Carter, 43 who had a “brutal” case of COVID for 19 days a year ago and does not want to go through the illness again, or infect others.
For the third day this week, the Mississippi State Department of Health has reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases in one of the least vaccinated states in the nation. The highest number came Friday, with 5,023 new cases.
Senators admit vaccine skepticism
England admits he was skeptical about the vaccine. The busy attorney said the information he saw on the vaccine was “fuzzy,” and he didn’t take the time to talk with medical professionals. As cases climbed and younger people grew sick, he said that he finally consulted his doctor.
“We were encouraging our parents and grandparents to get it,” England told the Sun Herald. “It’s our time. We need to follow through with the advice we were giving the older generation and we need to protect ourselves now.”
Once he had done his research and gotten vaccinated, England drafted a lengthy and eloquent Facebook post about his decision and a video getting the vaccine from Singing River Health System. He knows how tough and stubborn Mississippians can be when they feel forced into something, traits he addressed in the post, adding:
“We are a tough people, yet most of us know someone that is tough that has either become severely ill — or died — after catching this virus.
“It is a major threat to us, and our hospitals are busting at the seams with tough Mississippians due to this terrible virus. We are reaching a point where hospital beds and treatment is being provided in tents, on military bases, and on hospital ships. This is a serious situation we are facing.”
Talk to your doctor about vaccine, senator urges
England’s only side effect from the vaccine was a sore arm, and that lasted only a few hours. “Shoot,” he said, “I got out and cut my grass the next day.”
In his opinion, doctors know best. He said that he hates seeing politics played over the vaccine, which he has seen from both Democrats and Republicans.
“My doctor, and my friends that are doctors, all recommended the vaccine,” England said. “The facts also made it clear that the vaccine is a good choice to those of us that are recommended to take it by our physicians. So I put my stubbornness aside, and I took the vaccine. I know many people that have done the same recently, and I hope more will follow.”
In Mississippi, 97% of physicians are vaccinated, according to the state medical association.
Virulent delta variant ‘scary’
England received a Moderna vaccine, while Carter got a dose of Pfizer and also suffered only a sore arm. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs has pointed out that COVID-19 has killed thousands, while no case of a death from vaccines has been documented in Mississippi.
Both senators think vaccines have become too politicized, especially on social media.
Carter said he believe he caught COVID-19 last summer at a dinner where one person turned out to be infected. The delta variant now circulating has proven twice as easy to spread.
“I think it was passing around the appetizer plate,” Carter said. “And that’s one thing about this delta variant being so infectious. I don’t think people are taken it seriously.’
Anyone exposed to COVID should quarantine, he said, as he did when he was sick. He understands the need to work.
“If you’re not there for your family because you’re dead, what does that do?” Carter asked. “It’s scary out there.”
This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
