A former Facebook executive drew criticism for suggesting that people vaccinated against the coronavirus “should all wear a mask of a special design or color,” with users immediately drawing similarities to Nazi Germany forcing Jews to wear yellow stars.
“Everyone that gets vaccinated should all wear a mask of a special design or color so that they can signal to others that they are vaccinated,” Chamath Palihapitiya, now the CEO of Social Capital and the chairman of Virgin Galactic, tweeted, adding, “#GodBlessScience.”
Everyone that gets vaccinated should all wear a mask of a special design or color so that they can signal to others that they are vaccinated. #GodBlessScience
— Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) December 11, 2020
His comments quickly received backlash on Twitter. “What do you think about a yellow star?” one user tweeted.
What do you think about a yellow star ?
— Aldo Sterone (@AldoSterone111) December 12, 2020
“I think tatting serial numbers would do the trick…” wrote conservative radio host Kevin McCullough.
I think tatting serial numbers would do the trick…
— Kevin McCullough (@KMCRadio) December 12, 2020
Some appeared more receptive to the idea, suggesting that those who have been vaccinated wear a wristband or use a smartphone app “to make sure you’re not creating behavior where others take off their masks because of herd behavior.”
Maybe not a mask but maybe either a wristband or a digital identifier (an app?) – the only advantage of wearing a different color mask is to make sure you’re not creating behavior where others take off their masks because of herd behavior (ie they just assume masks not needed).
— Sachin Dev Duggal (@sachinduggal) December 12, 2020
The Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for Pfizer and BioNTech’s two-stage coronavirus vaccine on Friday. On Saturday, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of allowing the vaccine to be given to people who are 16 and older in the United States.
The U.S. has reported more than 16 million cases of the COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The U.S., like many countries across the globe, is in the middle of the worst surge in cases yet, with fears that holiday travel from Thanksgiving and upcoming winter festivities will only compound an already worsening situation. The U.S. reported more than 219,000 cases on Saturday alone, and to date, nearly 300,000 people have died.
