Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is urging state residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19, warning that opposition to the vaccine is "literally killing people."
Cox, a Republican, made his comments Thursday during his monthly press conference on PBS Utah.
"I promise you the disease is worse than the vaccine," he said. "I can’t make it more clear than that. The disease is far worse than the vaccine, and we desperately need you to get vaccinated."
Cox said Republicans should take credit for the quick vaccine development under then-President Donald Trump. But he cautioned they can’t take credit if they fail to promote getting the vaccine.
"But I don’t think we can take credit for getting the vaccine and then tell people there’s something wrong with the vaccine and you shouldn’t get it," he said. "That just doesn’t make sense to me. We have these talking heads who have gotten the vaccine and are telling other people not to get the vaccine."
Cox said that message "is ridiculous. It’s dangerous. It’s damaging. And it’s killing people. It’s literally killing their supporters and that makes no sense to me."
"We’re continuing to encourage and inform and help people get the vaccine," he said. "We’re working very closely with the medical community."
The Deseret News, citing data from the Utah Department of Health, said 693 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the state on Thursday, along with four new deaths.
More than 2.9 million vaccine doses have been administered in the state, a daily increase of 5,244. Sixty-six percent of those 18 and older have gotten at least one dose and 45% of all Utahns are fully vaccinated.
"The plans are just to continue to get people vaccinated. I mean, those are the plans," Cox said. "Again, that’s the only answer. Vaccines work better than masks, the vaccines work better than social distancing. Vaccines just work and they allow us to do all the other things we want to do. We are absolutely continuing with our efforts."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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