Wisconsin Doctor: “Sen. Johnson Should Cancel Anti-Vaccine Event”

Responding to Thursday’s WITI-TV report that Ron Johnson is on Monday planning to hold an anti-COVID vaccine event, a La Crosse, WI-area physician is calling out Johnson, saying the Senator “has an obligation to do what’s right” or “get out of the way and let the rest of us do our jobs.”

Johnson’s decision to use his platform to escalate his spread of COVID vaccine misinformation comes at a time when 99.2% of COVID deaths are among unvaccinated people, according to the AP.

It’s so far unclear whether Johnson’s anti-vaccine event is being put on using taxpayer funds. But, either way, Dr. Freedland has a point: Ron Johnson needs to stop abusing his platform as Senator in ways that can and will cause harm.

Chippewa Herald: Wisconsin physician: Sen. Johnson should cancel anti-vaccine event

Key Points:

• “U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson plans to hold an event questioning the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, June 28, according to FOX6 News in Milwaukee. This event comes after the Wisconsin Republican has repeatedly spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and publicly refused to get one himself.”
• In response to Johnson’s event, Dr. Bob Freedland, an ophthalmologist in La Crosse and the Wisconsin State Lead for the Committee to Protect Health Care, released the following statement: ‘As a physician and concerned constituent of Sen. Ron Johnson, I call on him to cancel his anti-vaccine event, or, better yet, use his platform and time to hold an event encouraging people to get the safe, effective vaccine. Johnson claims, clearly in bad faith, to just be sharing “the truth” about vaccines, but the truth is that they’re safe, and they’re the best way for Wisconsinites to protect themselves and their loved ones from the deadly COVID-19 disease.’”
• “‘As our U.S. senator, Johnson has an obligation to do what’s right for the health of our state and country — and that’s promoting the vaccines. If he can’t stop spreading misinformation and undermining the best tool we have to protect against COVID-19 and dangerous variants, Sen. Johnson needs to get out of the way and let the rest of us do our jobs.”

Read the report here.

More coverage:

WITI-TV/Fox6 Milwaukee: “Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson plans to hold an event in Milwaukee on Monday, June 28, that will question COVID-19 vaccine safety, a story FOX6 broke.”

AP: Wisconsin’s Johnson to tout claims of vaccine side effects

Wisconsin State Journal: Ron Johnson plans news conference to highlight rare COVID-19 vaccine side effects

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.