GOP Sen. Ron Johnson criticized for 'dangerous' comments calling COVID-19 vaccine push 'suspicious'


Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) is facing criticism after suggesting there's something "suspicious" about there being a "big push" to ensure Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Republican senator spoke about COVID-19 vaccines during an interview with conservative radio host Vicki McKenna, seeming to float the idea of a nefarious motivation behind the urging of all adults to get vaccinated in order to put an end to the pandemic, per Forbes.
"The science tells us that vaccines are 95 percent effective, so if you have a vaccine, quite honestly, what do you care if your neighbor has one or not?" Johnson said. "I mean, what is it to you? ... Why is [there] this big push to make sure everybody gets a vaccine?"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Health experts would likely tell Johnson that Americans should care because a certain percentage of the population must receive a COVID-19 vaccine in order to achieve herd immunity in the United States. But the Republican senator went on to criticize the idea of Americans needing to "carry a card to prove that they've been vaccinated so they can participate in society" and then added, without elaborating, "I'm getting highly suspicious of what's happening here." Johnson also suggested the vaccine's distribution should have been "limited" to vulnerable populations.
Epidemiologist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding criticized Johnson's "dangerous words," while Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) slammed "this anti-vax rhetoric" and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin dubbed the senator a "dangerous conspiracy theorist." Amid this criticism, Johnson in a new statement on Friday said Americans should "decide for themselves whether to get vaccinated" and reiterated his belief that it's a "legitimate question as to whether people at very low risk" for COVID-19 "should be encouraged to take" the vaccine.
Johnson's comments came during an interview that opened with him saying it "blows me away" that he's "accused of being anti-science."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Nashville dining: Far more than barbecue and hot chicken
Feature A modern approach to fine-dining, a daily-changing menu, and more
-
Music Reviews: Coco Jones and Viagra Boys
Feature "Why Not More?" and "Viagr Aboys"
-
Visa wants to let AI make credit card purchases for you
The Explainer The program will allow you to set a budget and let AI learn from your shopping preferences
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows
-
Texas outbreak brings 1st US measles death since 2015
Speed read The outbreak is concentrated in a 'close-knit, undervaccinated' Mennonite community in rural Gaines County
-
Mystery illness spreading in Congo rapidly kills dozens
Speed Read The World Health Organization said 53 people have died in an outbreak that originated in a village where three children ate a bat carcass
-
Ozempic can curb alcohol cravings, study finds
Speed read Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may also be helpful in limiting alcohol consumption
-
New form of H5N1 bird flu found in US dairy cows
Speed Read This new form of bird flu is different from the version that spread through herds in the last year