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Thursday, July 15th, 2021

Republican outrage campaign causes Tennessee to end all vaccine outreach to youth: report

Author:     JON SKOLNIK
Source:     Salon
Publication Date:     JULY 14, 2021 1:08PM (EDT)
 Link: Republican outrage campaign causes Tennessee to end all vaccine outreach to youth: report
Stephan:   Tennessee, about as poorly governed as any state in the union, run almost entirely by Republicans, has just done something so stupid I find it breathtaking. And it is very karmic. As a result of Tennessee Republican officials acting as they have, as described in this article, their policies are going to result in the death of some untold number of Tennessee youth. Good luck Tennessee voters, you got what you voted for.
Luke Allan, 13, closes his eyes as he gets a Covid-19 vaccination. The campaign to immunize America’s 17 million adolescents aged 12-to-15 kicked off in full force on May 13, a key part of President Joe Biden’s strategy to push the country close to herd immunity. Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty 

The Tennessee Department of Health is set to discontinue its outreach programs for vaccinations amongst adolescents, marking a decisive win for state Republicans who have repeatedly sowed vaccine hesitancy amongst residents of the state. 

According to an internal report and leaked agency email obtained by the Tennessean, the department will halt all vaccine-related events at schools, which were previously used as coronavirus vaccine drives. 

In a number of rural towns throughout the state, school gymnasiums are one of the few sites able to host indoor vaccine drives because they are air-conditioned and provide ample space for social distancing. 

Additionally, the Tennessee Department of Health is now prohibited from sending teenagers postcards that remind them to receive their second dose. Instead, vaccine-related mail will be sent to their parents over fears that doing otherwise would constitute […]

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