Podcast host and UFC commentator Joe Rogan advised his younger listeners not to get the COVID-19 vaccine if they are “fit and healthy,” prompting major backlash.
Rogan discussed vaccines on the April 23 edition of his podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” and said he would urge healthy, younger listeners to not take the COVID vaccine if they asked for his advice, Fox News reported Tuesday. “If you’re like 21 years old, and you say to me, Should I get vaccinated? I’ll go no,'” Rogan said.
Spotify’s Joe Rogan encourages “healthy” young people not to get a coronavirus vaccine. His show is Spotify’s most popular podcast.
“If you’re like 21 years old, and you say to me, should I get vaccinated? I’ll go no.” pic.twitter.com/5dX98xUaHS
— Alex Paterson (@AlexPattyy) April 27, 2021
Rogan further clarified that his audience should not “do anything stupid,” but that it was important to take care of one’s self, Fox News reported. “If you’re a healthy person, and you’re exercising all the time, and you’re young, and you’re eating well, like, I don’t think you need to worry about this,” Rogan explained. (RELATED: Dana White Tears The Media To Shreds After UFC 261)
Several prominent media figures criticized Rogan on Twitter, stating that the host put lives in danger and accused him of undermining the vaccine rollout.
I hope we see lawsuits against @FoxNews by parents whose kids get harassed for wearing masks because of Tucker Carlson, and against @Spotify from parents whose sons end up in the hospital because Joe Rogan told them not to get vaccinated.
— Amy Siskind ????️???? (@Amy_Siskind) April 27, 2021
The people who watch @joerogan’s show are the people we desperately need to vaccinate in order to speed up the end of the pandemic. Joe isn’t just endangering their lives he’s endangering the rest of us too.
— Molly Jong-Fast???? (@MollyJongFast) April 28, 2021
A big part of the blame falls on the people who listen to Joe Rogan in the first place.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) April 28, 2021
The White House hits Joe Rogan after he said: “If you’re like 21 years old and you say to me, ‘Should I get vaccinated?’ I’ll go, ‘No,’” @KBeds on @NewDay
“I guess my first question would be, did Joe Rogan become a medical doctor while we weren’t looking?” pic.twitter.com/xKww6xHgA7— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) April 28, 2021
White House senior medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci also criticized Rogan, calling his opinion “incorrect” and alleging that it could lead to more infections, The Hill reported.
“So if you want to only worry about yourself and not society, then that’s okay,” Fauci told the “Today” show on Wednesday morning.
“You can get infected, and will get infected, if you put yourself at risk.” -Dr. Anthony Fauci responding to podcast host Joe Rogan’s suggestion that young people not get the COVID-19 vaccine pic.twitter.com/6E02GI31VV
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 28, 2021
Other users on Twitter supported Rogan’s remarks, with podcast host Steven Crowder saying that there was “nothing inaccurate” about the statements, Fox News reported.
Leaders and celebrities have recently made an unprecedented push for citizens to get COVID-19 vaccinations, including a recent ad from the Republican Doctor Caucus that promotes vaccines.
