Joe Rogan and CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta went head to head over whether or not the COVID-19 vaccine is necessary for kids.
During Rogan’s “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast Wednesday, the host asked Gupta repeatedly why there is a push to vaccinate kids when he admits that kids are “far less likely to get sick” and less likely to be hospitalized. The comments start at the 31:40 minute mark in the show.
The two then discussed a study the podcaster found claiming that “young boys face a higher risk of myocarditis from the vaccine than they do from getting COVID.” RELATED: Joe Rogan Will Refund Tickets For Fans Who Can’t Attend His Shows Because Of Vaccine Mandates)
Gupta said that “myocarditis was the big one,” and that it came up at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) meeting. However, he noted that the risk of getting myocarditis was higher with COVID-19 than it was with the vaccine.
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Rogan asked if medical experts know what the “long term” effects of myocarditis are. He called it “terrifying” for parents who are faced with the decision of whether to have their kid take the vaccine or not.
He then asked the CNN host if he understood parental concerns. He explained that parents with kids are not concerned about the virus in the same way that the doctor in unconcerned because he is vaccinated. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
The comments start at the 50:37 minute mark.
“Why is that okay to have that feeling if you’ve been vaccinated and not have that feeling if you’re unvaccinated?” Rogan asked. “If you are not concerned about a breakthrough infection because you feel like your immune system is strong enough to handle it, why is that not okay for someone who is especially a young person. Let’s think of it like a young male who’s 18-19-years-old who is in this risk of myocarditis versus, you know, COVID, getting the vaccine shot. Why wouldn’t it be okay for that person to make that choice?”
“I mean the problem is that they could become infected even if they don’t get sick and be a spreader,” Gupta replied.
Rogan pointed out that he also could spread the virus, which the doctor admitted. But Gupta said that’s “less likely” to happen and if he does get infected he “can spread it,” but “it’s a narrow window.”
The two continued to discuss whether or not kids need the vaccine and Rogan once again pressed him about whether he understood where parents whose children aren’t vulnerable are coming from.
It happens at the 55:01 minute mark.
“Theoretically, you would be more vulnerable than a young child would be. You, vaccinated, would be more vulnerable of a breakthrough infection then a young child would be, statistically speaking right?” Rogan explained, noting Gupta’s age of 51.
“But you’re not worried about catching it. You’re not worried about catching it because you’ve been vaccinated and you think it imparts a certain amount of protection,” he added. “What I’m saying to you, that [lack of] worry is the same feeling that a lot of people have about their children. They’re not worried about their healthy children catching it for the same reason you’re not worried about catching it being vaccinated.”
Gupta responded by asking if the host was suggesting he get “boosted.” Rogan said that he was pointing out how his attitude about feeling safe from the virus is “the exact same attitude that a lot of young people have when they don’t want to get a shot because they’re worried about the consequences even though they’re incredibly small,” noting the VAERS [Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System] report “does have deaths.”
“I think having antibodies as a general rule … is going to make you safer than if you don’t,” the CNN doctor replied.
Rogan noted that 86% of those who got myocarditis from the vaccine required “some hospital care,” and asked the doctor if that concerned him.
Gupta said the question is from a risk-reward perspective and said the “more people that have immunity the better.”
“I feel like we could bring this pandemic under control,” he added. “Not extinguish it completely. Probably, this virus is here to stay. But we could bring it under control.”