4:50 PM

Youngkin Vows Virginia Won’t Follow The CDC’s ‘COVID Vaccine Mandate.’ But That Mandate Doesn’t Exist

Callan Tansill-Suddath | https://twitter.com/TansillSuddath

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced on Thursday that he wants to eliminate COVID-19 vaccine mandates. ... “COVID-19 mandates should be in our rear view mirror,” the Republican governor tweeted. “The decision to vaccinate a child against COVID-19 is for Virginia parents to make about what’s best for them and their family. We will not adhere to these @CDCgov mandates. In Virginia, parents matter.”

Link to tweet

But the situation is more complicated than Youngkin describes, and some of what he tweeted is factually inaccurate. ... The tweet was likely inspired by a segment that aired on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News earlier this week, during which host Tucker Carlson said “This week, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to add the COVID-19 vax to the list of required childhood vaccines. If this happens, your children will not be able to attend school without taking the COVID shot.”

Link to tweet

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have never mandated any COVID-19 vaccines for adults or children. While the CDC’s advisory committee on vaccines did approve adding COVID-19 vaccines to the recommended schedule of immunizations for both children and adults this week, that list is only a recommendation for states.. The CDC recommends vaccines; state health agencies choose whether to mandate them.

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Margaret Barthel contributed reporting.