SAINT PAUL, Minn – Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-Saint Paul), Representative Liz Boldon (DFL-Rochester), Representative Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), and Representative Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley), called upon the Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature to take action against the spread of misinformation on COVID-19 and the vaccine.
Last week, the Surgeon General issued an advisory about the danger of spreading public health misinformation in the fight against COVID-19, citing it as an urgent threat to individuals and our collective effort to protest communities against the virus.
“COVID-19 misinformation is contributing to the spread of the Delta variant, which continues to infect and kill people at a fast rate,” said Sen. Murphy. “I call on my Republican colleagues to end the spread of misinformation and to promote vaccines so we can send our kids to school this fall, spend precious time with our families, and stay connected in our communities without worry. It’s on all of us to do everything possible and to follow the science in stopping the spread of this virus.”
“With an early rise in infection rates and the Delta variant moving through communities, it is critical for individuals to act responsibly in sharing accurate public health information and to actively work to stop the spread of misinformation,” said Rep. Boldon. “It is important to do so now more than ever when Minnesota is preparing to send children safely back to school this fall. Minnesotans take care of each other, and right now, when our kids under 12 cannot yet be vaccinated, we all need to do our part to keep them healthy and safe. The spread of misinformation is preventing that from happening.”
“As lawmakers, it is our responsibility to not only represent our communities in the Legislature, but also to act as leaders who ensure all our neighbors have access to accurate and helpful information,” said Rep. Frazier. “I am calling on my Republican colleagues to step into that role today and end the dangerous misinformation around the COVID-19 vaccine. Minnesotans deserve protection from misinformation just as they do against this virus and its variants.”
“Many Minnesotans are experiencing a fun and healthy summer thanks to our collective effort to get vaccinated, but misinformation threatens to undo all our hard work,” said Rep. Mike Freiberg, chair of the House Preventive Health Policy Division. “Our return to normal this summer is not a given for the future, not when highly contagious variants are ripping through communities. It’s time to get behind the science and help as many Minnesotans as possible get vaccinated.”
For more information on where to get the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the state’s Vaccine Connector here. For reliable health information about COVID-19 and the vaccine, you can connect here.