(NOTE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW FACEBOOK CRITERIA ON “MISINFORMATION,” REAL NEWS MICHIANA WANTS TO EXPLAIN THIS STORY IS SIMPLY REPORTING ON WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE TO SAY. THIS IS IN NO WAY SPREADING “MISINFORATION” ABOUT COVID, VACCINATION OR MASKS.)
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. — Multiple Republican elected officials are calling out the Centers for Disease Control and the agency’s new stance on masking and vaccinations. The CDC announced the new guidelines on July 27th, in which it recommends fully-vaccinated people wear masks indoors in many parts of the country. The CDC has been blasted by many politicians as ignoring data and science with the new guidelines.
County Commissioners Deb Fleming and Derek Dieter, both Republicans, issued the following statement:
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came out yesterday and once again reversed course on mask guidance. Additionally, they called for all kids to mask in schools. The CDC has been unreliable and has contradicted itself multiple times. We need to bring common sense back to our county.
In St. Joseph County, we believe health decisions are best made by individuals, no public health agencies. Anyone who wants to can obtain a vaccination; anyone who wants to can wear a mask; and anyone who chooses to forego masks and vaccinations has a right to do so. We have had Covid with us for almost a year and a half. We have learned how to better protect ourselfs.
We need to stop depending on the government to push safety measures and mandates, which deny people the freedom they deserve to make their own health choices.
Additionally, parents — not public health officials — should be determining whether children return back to schools with or without masks, vaccinated or unvaccinated. We are fortunate that cases remain low in our county, but we trust that if they rise again, the people of this county will make their own wise decisions regarding how to take care of themselves.”
Noticeably absent from the signatures on the statement is Republican Commissioner Andy Kostielney. You can see a copy of the full statement below.
Additionally, Republican State Representative, Jake Teshka, sent out the following statement on Twitter.
“The changing CDC guidelines regarding masks are confusing to most Americans regardless of their personal beliefs around the efficacy of masking. That’s because most Americans trust the science. And the science still tells us that COVID19, while dangerous to certain segments of our population, is well tolerated in those who are young (school aged children) and those without significant underlying conditions. It also tells us that 97%+ of hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated.
As an individual, I weighed the pros/cons and decided to receive the vaccine and in doing so was told that masking was not necessary – a truth still supported by the science. The bottom line is this, I trust all Hoosiers to make their own personal medical decisions. I will stand firmly against another statewide mask mandate at this time.”
Republican Congresswoman, Jackie Walorski, also made a statement on Twitter.
“Reinstituting mask mandates send the wrong signal. The CDC’s updated mask guidance will undercut Americans’ faith in facts and innovation, and I will continue to oppose all federal mask mandates.”
In another Tweet, the congresswoman called out the CDC’s credibility with the new guidelines.
