KPC Media: “while Holcomb has supported the state health department and preached the benefits of vaccines, the governor has not supported efforts to compel vaccination”
INDems continue call for Governor Holcomb, Indiana Republicans to hold aggressive, statewide effort to vaccinate Hoosiers
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today criticized Governor Eric Holcomb for announcing the state’s latest strategy to fight COVID-19: “positively preaching” for higher vaccination rates. In an alarming interview with KPC Media, Holcomb was described as “switching back” to a “pre-pandemic mindset” and not supporting campaigns that “compel vaccination” across Indiana. In fact, Gov. Holcomb’s new, partisan pandemic strategy comes as the state is seeing COVID cases reach levels not seen since last winter – a time when the Governor described Indiana as being “on fire” with COVID-19.
Here’s what’s changed: Governor Holcomb quit holding weekly COVID-19 press briefings and Indiana Republicans have failed to hold an aggressive effort to get Hoosiers vaccinated. Their extreme partisanship is preventing Indiana from moving on from the pandemic, and it’s leading to more Hoosier deaths in the process.
The Indiana Republican Party has politicized the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the entire 2021 calendar year. Recently, the Republican supermajority at the statehouse announced plans to pass legislation requiring Indiana’s business community to pay for COVID-19 testing at the workplace, putting the lives of workers at risk. Indiana Republicans universally opposed updated testing and vaccine recommendations from President Joe Biden. And Republicans like Attorney General Todd Rokita claimed vaccine requirements on college and university campuses violated state law – despite the Indiana Republican Party passing a vaccine mandate for campuses in 2017.
Indiana Democrats have done everything possible to help Hoosier families put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, Hoosiers have every opportunity to get a vaccine, all 92 counties have received critical relief to make up for lost revenues, and Hoosier families received critical relief checks through the Child Tax Credit. Democrats delivered and created this brighter future for families, but unfortunately, the Indiana Republican Party’s extreme partisanship is betting against this once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Hoosier State.
Key points from the KPC Media report is below:
KPC Media: “Although the ongoing pandemic is still a weight pulling down on some aspects of life in Indiana, Holcomb has otherwise switched back very much to a pre-pandemic mindset, with economic and community development first and foremost on his mind.” […]
“While economic development is where Holcomb wants the state to be driving, the pandemic is still a roadblock, albeit not as obstructive as it was at the same time a year ago.
With Indiana in the midst of another end-of-year rise in cases, hospitalizations and deaths, Holcomb said it’s a movie the state has seen before, recently.” […]
“But while Holcomb has supported the state health department and preached the benefits of vaccines, the governor has not supported efforts to compel vaccination such as the federal vaccine mandate for employers with 100 or more employees.” […]
“His approach has been and remains carrot over stick, although he would prefer people choose the carrot willingly before the virus deliver the stick to them or someone they know.” […]
“And I try to practice what I preach. …. We’ll continue to positively preach that getting vaccinated works…” […]
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