When it comes to the track record of the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s easy to think of Ronald Reagan once saying the more the plans fail, the more the planners plan.
Marc Elrich, county executive of Montgomery County, Maryland, took to Twitter on Sunday to warn that if a sufficient number of local residents don’t get a vaccine booster, the county may have to shut down schools again sometime in the future and impose other mandates and restrictions.
“Being fully vaccinated at this point is not being completely protected. For us to weather future upticks and surges without mandates, virtual learning, or restrictions – we must increase our booster numbers,” Elrich tweeted.
Being fully vaccinated at this point is not being completely protected. For us to weather future upticks and surges without mandates, virtual learning, or restrictions – we must increase our booster numbers. Find a vaccination site here: https://t.co/NbNBYpET7f
— County Exec Marc Elrich (@MontCoExec) April 24, 2022
Keep in mind, according to The New York Times, Montgomery County is one of the most vaccinated counties in America with 95 percent of those over age 65 having gotten the jab and 93 percent of those over age 5 vaccinated.
Of course, it was Frederick Douglass who observed that power once obtained is rarely relinquished without public demand, and officials in many parts of the country are in no hurry to let go of the sweeping powers they commandeered due to the emergency of a pandemic — never mind that many Americans, perhaps most, have moved on from the coronavirus, equating it today as little more than a seasonal virus like the flu given the weakened strains now being seen.
Conservative columnist Bethany Mandel, who apparently resides in the county, responded to Elrich’s warning to call for new leadership while linking to a donor page for new school board candidates.
This is why we need new leadership in our county. We need a school board who will stand up and say “no” when authoritarians like you try to hold school hostage in exchange for booster uptake. https://t.co/81l75bXBlM
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) April 24, 2022
Here’s a sampling of other responses to the story from Twitter:
This guy is threatening to close the schools again. After all we know about the harms of school closures, it’s hard to believe. All MoCo voters who love children need to rid us of this scourge. https://t.co/e4oLuK6apK
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) April 24, 2022
Northeast Democrats: You had better inject yourselves with this vaccine or we are going to force worse on you and your kids.
Florida: We don’t think 6 year olds should be taught gender identity in schools.
Ds: Florida is an authoritarian state! https://t.co/LFh8CjYlwD
— Cherry Davis (@DACDAC4DAC) April 25, 2022
Really nice in person learning you got there. Be a shame if something happened to it … https://t.co/N7ehO5A0xn
— Aaron (@AaronDrol) April 24, 2022
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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