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With a new nationwide poll showing Republicans three times more likely than Democrats to avoid getting COVID-19 shots, a Central Illinois congressman and loyal member of the GOP said Thursday he wants to reduce vaccine hesitancy regardless of political affiliation.

“I want to encourage everyone that this is safe,” U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, said during a visit to the COVID-19 mass-vaccination site operated by the Sangamon County Department of Public Health and Illinois National Guard at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. […]

“Putting a political litmus test on the vaccination process is something that I’m trying to warn against,” Davis said. “We, right now, have to believe in our scientists that actually do the clinical trials and the private-sector ingenuity that has allowed us to get safe and effective vaccines.

“And if you’re worried about the vaccines being safe, I will tell you, I don’t feel a computer chip in my arm, and also, hundreds of thousands of people right here in Central Illinois have safely gotten all three of these vaccines,” Davis said. “It’s safe. It’s effective. Go get it done.”

The latest NPR/Marist poll shows that 46 percent of Republican men say they won’t be vaccinated. That’s in line with its previous polling which had the “No” answer at 49 percent. 40 percent of Donald Trump voters also say they won’t be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, just 22 percent of Black respondents said they wouldn’t take the shot and a mere 9 percent of Democratic women are also refusing the vaxes.

* As NPR points out, we can’t get to herd immunity until more folks like those Republican men are vaccinated. Ironically, many of those same folks were insisting last year that the all-important herd immunity could be reached if the virus was simply allowed to run its course. That argument didn’t hold up so well when more than half a million people died. But now that there’s a real chance to reach herd immunity with vaccines, too many are balking.

More Republican Party leaders need to step up here like Davis did. Some have, but many more need to follow the lead of Black politicos and set a very public example, especially now that positivity rates are on the rise. Effingham County’s positivity rate, for example, is now 7.4 percent, as is McHenry County’s.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:10 pm

Comments

This is a pretty low bar to get over, but I’ll have to give him props for doing so.

Comment by Simple Simon Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:16 pm
My goodness I wish we could be like Israel on this. Google “israel covid rate” and look at the graph that Google makes. You can practically see the day they started vaccinating, where the infection rate drops like a rock.

Comment by North Park Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:16 pm
I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about Rodney running for gov. He has said it depends on how the maps end up. Would he clear the field in the primary? Does he stand a chance in the general?

Comment by tdavs1 Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:22 pm
What makes the likes of Bailey and the Eastern Bloc folks so dangerous to the health and safety of everyone is this idea that “herd immunity” is what they want through infections… and not get herd immunity through vaccinations and maybe saving lives by approaching herd immunity through actual science.

The former President got vaccinated in silence and in private.

This idea that it’s a right to “choose” to be vaccinated while putting at risk so many reminds me that those who wanted schools open, no masks, and pushed false narratives to the virus have no idea what it means to be a good citizen in a society.

First it was money over lives… then schools can’t be spreaders… then conspiracies to what the vaccine “is”

It’s not a matter of “freedom”, it is a matter of perpetuating ignorance among the Trumpkins… and “loving” being that ignorant

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:24 pm
Israel’s Covid graph: https://twitter.com/lakecountydem/status/1381659497626746883

It feels like it will be up to big businesses to coerce enough incalcitrants to get the vaccine. If enough airlines/buses/entertainment venues/etc. require proof of vaccination, for many the inconvenience will outweigh the “princople.”

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:33 pm
“The latest NPR/Marist poll shows that 46 percent of Republican men say they won’t be vaccinated.”

Republicans seemed to have changed so much from what I recall. Didn’t they used to be more pro-science, pro-health, pro-education, the proverbial adults in the room? Now many seem to be against these things for political reasons. Also, many of these demand that we unsafely safely reopen the economy, which causes more illness, death and economic loss. They’re not very conservative, which is why the label is often misused today.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 12:38 pm
I don’t even want to try to understand how those guys refusing to be vaccinated against a disease that kills people is somehow going to show me the error of my liberal ways.

Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 1:18 pm
Sure, Rodney did a photo op telling people to get the shot. But he got his shot in DC back in February. He should have talked up the vaccine back then.

Comment by Curious citizen Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 1:28 pm
A self imposed republican voter suppression plan. Could reduce republican vote totals by 2 or 3 percent.

Comment by Groucho Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 1:41 pm
Rodney Davis advocating for vaccines is great but white evangelicals aren’t enamored with him. I’m afraid it will be up to big business to convince the stragglers as well. But there is a chance to turn things around before then. It would take white Christian religious leaders stressing clearly and repeatedly that getting the vaccine is the moral and just thing to do. They can also note that being vaccinated does not leave one with the mark of the beast.

Comment by Independent Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 1:54 pm
==Does he stand a chance in the general?==

Don’t count him out. He gets a lot of mileage out of being “bipartisan” despite his record. But based on the last 2 elections, just under 50% of his own downstate district wants him out. That’s not a great starting point.

Comment by Simple Simon Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 2:15 pm
=== Don’t count him out===

Davis twice voted against impeachment for Trump, even after an insurrection… and voted against the last Covid-19 relief package, voting against helping people and businesses needing help.

Voted more like Mary Miller than any bipartisanship he tries to tout.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 2:23 pm
I’ll just say my personal experience doesn’t match the survey results. With one exception, all my conservative friends have gotten vaccinated.

The one exception is someone who fled Germany during WW II and distrusts almost everything involving government.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 2:36 pm
==more like Mary Miller than any bipartisanship he tries to tout-==

Indeed. His actual record, if truly represented, will not be palatable to the majority of Illinois voters, so he faces a tough road. But there seem to be few moderate GOPers around these days, so someone who talks a good game might overachieve, given the right tailwinds.

Comment by Simple Simon Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 2:46 pm
=== Divine intervention I’m sure.===

The vaccine. Keep up.

It’s a race, the infections versus the injections.

The ignorantly foolish ignore the vaccine factor.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 2:49 pm
===Assuming===

The vaccine isn’t working?

This isn’t Facebook. K? Keep moving the goal post.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 2:59 pm
= If enough airlines/buses/entertainment venues/etc. require proof of vaccination, =

And then there are states like Florida where the governor signs an executive order barring businesses from asking for such proof.

Comment by JoanP Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 3:00 pm
=== assuming===

No. You are.

You’ve yet to say the vaccine is chasing infections.

This is why people are afraid, you are perpetrating a phony narrative

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 3:29 pm
“I don’t feel a computer chip in my arm” - U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville.

2021…the most strange year…yet.

Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 4:21 pm
RNUG. My personal experience mirrors yours. And looking at the Illinois map, county by county, on vaccination percentages, it would appear national polling data does not reflect Illinois.

Comment by Blue Dog Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 4:24 pm
I’m in his district. Did not vote for him, but he gets out into his district, at least amomg his voters, and that seems powerful, and the key to his political survival, so grading respect, and wondering why the local democrats could not beat him. His energy carries him.

Comment by Tall one Monday, Apr 12, 21 @ 8:23 pm