W.Va. governor says only a 'catastrophe' will push unvaccinated Americans to get shot

[left-of-center2012]

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) said Sunday that those who are still unvaccinated against COVID-19 will be pushed to get the shot only by a “catastrophe” in which “an awful lot of people die.”

On ABC’s “This Week,” host Martha Raddatz asked the governor what would push those who have not gotten vaccinated in the state “over the edge” to change their minds.

The governor, who in recent weeks has called on hesitant constituents to get the shot, responded, “I hate to say this, but what would put them over the edge is if an awful lot of people die.” Justice said the “only way” he could see the nearly half of adults in West Virginia who have not yet gotten vaccinated alter their thinking would if be "a catastrophe" occurred "that none of us want."

In West Virginia, there have been more than 164,000 reported infections, with nearly 2,900 deaths as a result of the virus, according to the state health department.

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/561518-w-va-governor-says-only-a-catastrophe-will-push-unvaccinated

[Ocelot II]

1. Hate to be cold about it but at this point, unless there's a real issue of access,

the people - mostly GOPers - who are refusing to get it because of Jesus or magnetism or whatever will just be proving Professor Darwin's point.

[FarPoint]

5. Sort of like or along the lines of...

" tough love" ....they have healthy choices readily available...but choose poorly.

[Jedi Guy]

11. Results of GOP decision-making...

[FarPoint]

16. Exactly.....

This line is one of my favorites...you know this....(((HUG)))

[former9thward]

19. Why do people keep saying "mostly GOPers"?

The two demographics with the lowest rate of vaccinations are Blacks and Hispanics. Why is this ignored as if it doesn't exist?

[Ocelot II]

23. The ones who can get but are refusing vaccinations are mainly GOPers.

Some PoC have vaccine hesitation as well, for entirely different reasons not involving Jesus or magnets, but they also tend to have less access to the vaccines.

[former9thward]

24. This is not February or March

Everyone has access to vaccines. Vaccine centers are closing down all over because no one is coming in. No one is being denied access.

[Ocelot II]

25. Some low-wage workers still have trouble getting time off work,

and in Appalachia and similar rural areas it's hard for some, especially the very poor, to get around. But apart from those situations there's no excuse. Especially not Jesus or magnetism.

[RockRaven]

2. 2/3 of a million dead Americans in one year isn't enough of a catastrophe, apparently, so I'm not

sure that this genius is spot-on with his analysis.

[sheshe2]

3. Took the words right out of my mouth.

[ShazzieB]

9. Those were my thoughts, too.

I guess those deaths aren't real to the non vaxxers unless all those people were to fall down dead right in front of them.

[dsc]

7. It will take it happening in WV

[wcmagumba]

4. And the bad thing for those who choose to be vaccinated is that all these antivaxers

are literally walking petri dishes for covid variants, some of which will probably require booster shots or new vaccines for everyone...selfish stupid morons...

[Scrivener7]

6. Speak of the devil and the devil appears.

[Mad_Machine76]

8. 600K dead in a year

isn’t a “catastrophe”?!

[marie999]

10. Supposedly Stalin said that the death of one person is a tragedy;

the death of one million is a statistic. This is probably what some people think.

[Thomas Hurt]

13. has to happen to them or their family, friends...you know...

they have to look out their window and see corpses stacked on the sidewalk kind of catastrophe.

One of the first things out of a Trumper co-worker's mouth, about CV last year, during a conference call, was had anyone we knew been sick or died.

If it isn't close and personal they don't care.

[Hugin]

18. I was going to say, it's already happened, dude.

Where the Hell were you, Governor?

[Thomas Hurt]

12. No shit you idiot

[Volaris]

14. The delta variant will get to WV eventually, and these fools will get their wish. Oh well..

[Politicub]

15. Winter is coming. And then again after that.

I feel for the healthcare workers who will be tasked for caring for the unvaccinated. I could give two shits about the willfully unvaccinated themselves.

[PortTack]

17. In places like WV there is a percentage of ppl that would get the vaccine if they had access

But don’t. There are ppl in Appalachia that don’t have running running water or electricity let alone internet to sign up to get a vaccine.

It’s very telling and callous of the red governor to talk like that instead of calling on state health agencies to do outreach to these poorest of the poor ppl! SHAMEFUL!!

[KentuckyWoman]

20. We already had a catastrophe.

The pics of dead bodies stacked up because all the morgues were full didn't convince them.

[roamer65]

21. ...and I won't shed a tear over incorrigible anti-vaxxers dying.

Fuck ‘em all.

Frankly I think we will be better off without them.

[twin_ghost]

22. If 600,000+ deaths due to covid won't convince a person toget vaccinated...

then nothing will.

[LiberalFighter]

26. Paying funeral expense should only be for those vaccinated.