Kay Ivey tells Alabamians to get vaccinated: ‘I can’t make you take care of yourself’
Kay Ivey #KayIvey
A fiery Gov. Kay Ivey made her most forceful statements yet today encouraging Alabamians to get the COVID-19 vaccine, saying “the unvaccinated folks are letting us down” in the fight to control the pandemic.
She also signaled she would not mandate students to wear masks when classes resume in Alabama’s public schools, saying that decision should be left up to school districts.
“Let’s be crystal clear about this issue,” Ivey said.
“Media, I want you to start reporting the facts. The few cases of COVID are because of unvaccinated folks. Almost 100% of the new hospitalizations are unvaccinated folks. And the deaths certainly are occurring with unvaccinated folks. These folks are choosing a horrible lifestyle of self-inflicted pain. We’ve got to get folks to take the shot.”
Ivey was in Birmingham this afternoon speaking at the opening of tech company Landing’s new headquarters, responding to questions from the assembled media.
Calling the vaccines “the greatest weapon we have to fight COVID,” Ivey admitted some frustration in response to questions on what she can do to encourage more Alabamians to get vaccinated. Alabama is the only state in the nation with fewer than 40% of eligible residents vaccinated against COVID-19. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows just 39.6% of people 12 and older in Alabama are fully vaccinated.
In response to the question of what will take it get more people to take the vaccine, Ivey said, “I don’t know. You tell me.”
“Folks are supposed to have common sense,” she said. “It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down….I’ve done all I know how to do. I can encourage you to do something, but I can’t make you take care of yourself.”
Unvaccinated people represent an overwhelming percentage of Alabama’s COVID deaths since April, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Alabama has recorded more than 500 COVID deaths since April 1. Of those, only 20 people were fully vaccinated, meaning slightly over 96% were unvaccinated.
In response to a question about mandating masks among school children, Ivey appeared to signal that would be a half-measure.
“I want folks to get vaccinated,” she said.
“That’s the cure. That prevents everything. Why do we want to mess around with just temporary stuff? We don’t need to just encourage people to go halfway with curing this disease. Let’s get it done. We know what it takes to get it done. Get a shot in your arm. I’ve done it. It’s safe. The data proves it. It doesn’t cost anything. It saves lives.”
Ivey received both shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in December. She called it “just the thing to do,” saying those who have received it should encourage others to receive the vaccine.
People must “take care of themselves and us as well. We can’t do that for them. All we can do is everybody take the shot for themselves, so encourage others to do likewise,” Ivey said.