Gov. Kay Ivey Says It’s Time To Blame Unvaccinated People For Rise In COVID Cases

Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey said Thursday it’s time to blame unvaccinated people for the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state.

“Folks are supposed to have common sense,” Ivey told reporters. “But it’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.”

Asked what it will take to up the vaccination rate in Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) snaps: “I don’t know, you tell me! Folks supposed to have common sense. It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks.”

(For more context, Ivey signed a ban on vaccine passports back in May.) pic.twitter.com/ZUMVDm4QHi

— The Recount (@therecount) July 23, 2021

Alabama has the least amount of vaccinated people in the country, with only approximately 33.9% of its residents fully vaccinated, according to CNN.  Nationwide, 48.8% of Americans have been fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state has seen more than 9,900 new cases of the coronavirus over the past two weeks, according to CBS 42. (RELATED: Relatives Of Tuskegee Experiment Victims Launch Pro-Vaccine Ad Campaign)

“Let’s be crystal clear about this issue,” Ivey said Thursday, according to CBS 42. “And media, I want you to start reporting the facts. The new cases of COVID are because of unvaccinated folks. Almost 100% of the new hospitalizations are with unvaccinated folks. And the deaths are certainly occurring with the unvaccinated folks. These folks are choosing a horrible lifestyle of self-inflicted pain.”

Ivey signed a law in May banning vaccine passports, with the legislation prohibiting businesses, government and state agencies, and schools from denying a person entry based on their vaccination status.

Ivey nonetheless has been supportive of getting the vaccine, saying it gives “peace of mind.”