Vermont’s Republican Gov. Phil Scott claims his decision to open up vaccinations for all black and indigenous people of color over the age of 16 will bolster “health equity.”
The state, as of Thursday, permits those who “identify” as BIPOC, including those with Abenaki or other First Nations heritage, to sign up for inoculation, so long as they’re over the age of 16, according to the Vermont Department of Health. The same luxuries have not yet been afforded to white residents who meet the age criteria and don’t have “high-risk health conditions,” drawing ire from many residents.
“Vermont’s data currently shows the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) population is at increased risk of hospitalization from COVID-19,” Scott said in a Monday statement attempting to justify his decision. “This is a population of our neighbors already facing health equity disadvantages as a result of historical inequities and injustices.”
He continued: “In addition to the greater risk of hospitalization among BIPOC community members, the pace of vaccination for these individuals is too far behind the white population. With a rate of 20.2% of the BIPOC population having received at least one dose of vaccine as compared with non-Hispanic Whites (33.4%), we need to do more to close this gap – both as a matter of equity and to help decrease the risk of hospitalizations.”
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Scott added that the “legacy of racism in America” is behind some of those speaking ill of his order.
“Unfortunately, the legacy of racism in America, and in Vermont, still drives a lot of anger and fear,” he said. “Recently, my office, the Health Department and those hardworking individuals getting us vaccinated, have been subjected to vitriolic and inappropriate comments in social media and other forums regarding this decision. This too is unacceptable. And it is evidence that many Americans, and many Vermonters, still have a lot to learn about the impacts of racism in our country and how it has influenced public policy over the years.”
The governor condemned negative comments pertaining to the vaccine priority that supposedly contained “racial slurs,” invoking the death of George Floyd as a reason that “words matter.”
“That is no excuse, however, to resort to hateful attacks on fellow Vermonters – especially those comments including racist slurs,” he said. “We have recently been reminded how words of hatred and bias can lead to terrible results – from the death of George Floyd to the tragic attacks on members of the Asian-American community, to the shocking attack on our nation’s capital.”
Vermont has recorded over 20,000 COVID-19 cases since the onset of the pandemic, with 229 deaths attributed to the virus. Roughly 22% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated, and 37% of residents have received one of their two shots.
Christopher Rufo of the Discovery Institute, a conservative think tank, called Scott’s move a “flagrant violation of the 14th Amendment” and akin to the controversial teaching curriculum “critical race theory.”
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“Vermont’s program of racially separated standards, which denies medical services to a specific racial group, is a flagrant violation of the 14th Amendment,” he told Fox News.
He continued: “It follows the logic of critical race theory, which demands that society practice racial discrimination to rectify racial disparities, but is not compatible with American law. Sadly, Vermont is another example of state neo-racism that has gained in popularity in recent years. Public interest lawyers should immediately file suit against the governor.”
