Most of NC’s congressional delegation has been vaccinated. But there are holdouts.
Most of the 15 members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation, who have been allowed to get a shot for months now, are vaccinated.
But at least two Republican House members from North Carolina have not gotten the shot, which is in line with reports that one-quarter of House members have declined to get the vaccine.
In the United States, more than 116 million doses of the vaccines have been given, according to Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker. North Carolina is moving quickly to expand eligibility for COVID vaccinations with the goal of having all adults eligible by May 1.
Reps. Madison Cawthorn and Ted Budd have not been vaccinated.
“Congressman Cawthorn believes that each individual must make their own personal risk assessment in deciding whether or not to receive a vaccination. Rep. Cawthorn has been consistent in stating that he will never support legislation that mandates vaccinations,” said Cawthorn spokesman Micah Bock.
Cawthorn, 25, said earlier this year that he probably would not get the vaccine, citing the low death rate among younger people. Bock said this week Cawthorn would make a decision in consultation with his doctor.
Budd tested positive for coronavirus on Dec. 1.
“He felt that since he has the antibodies for a while, he was going to wait and let others get the vaccine first,” Budd spokesman Curtis Kalin said.
Kalin said Budd is encouraging others to get vaccinated and proposed legislation to allow providers to give leftover doses any eligible individuals rather than allow them to go to waste. He said that Budd does plan to get the vaccine at some point.
Many North Carolina lawmakers posted photos of themselves getting their shots, part of an attempt to reduce vaccine hesitancy among citizens.
Though there was initial concern about hesitancy among Black Americans, recent polling indicates that Republicans, people who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 and white men are among the most hesitant — with 40% or more of those populations saying they will not take a vaccine, according to a recent poll from National Public Radio.
One-quarter of Black Americans, in the poll, indicate they will not get the vaccine when it is available to them.
There are three vaccinations approved for use in the United States: two-shot vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer and a one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.
“All FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines have been approved following a rigorous process that is the gold standard of the world. Tens of thousands of Americans participated in clinical trials to ensure the vaccines are safe and effective — no corners were cut,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican.
Tillis tested positive for the coronavirus in October. He has been vaccinated and encouraged his constituents to get the shot as well.
“To anyone questioning if they should get vaccinated, I encourage them to talk to their doctor and get more information about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. The sooner North Carolinians get vaccinated, the sooner we will achieve herd immunity, end the pandemic, and return to life as normal,” Tillis said.
Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx also tested positive for the coronavirus. She, too, has been vaccinated. Rep. Greg Murphy, a Greenville Republican, was the first member of the delegation to receive the vaccine on Dec. 18. Murphy, a urologist, has also administered the vaccine in recent months.
Even after getting the vaccine, Rep. Deborah Ross, a Wake County Democrat, said she continues to get tested regularly.
All five Democrats in the North Carolina delegation have been vaccinated, including Reps. Alma Adams, G.K. Butterfield, Kathy Manning and David Price. So have Sen. Richard Burr and Rep. Richard Hudson, both Republicans.
The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer contacted each member’s office over the past week to ask about their vaccination status. Several offices did not respond, including those of Reps. Dan Bishop, David Rouzer and Patrick McHenry.
McHenry, however, posted a photo of himself getting the vaccination in late December, thanking the “men & women who have worked so hard to develop this safe & effective vaccine. You are a testament to the power of American innovation!”
Rouzer’s Twitter feed is filled with tweets and retweets about the development, effectiveness and availability of the vaccines, including retweets encouraging people to get the vaccine.
Bishop, who maintains a prolific Twitter account, applauded the rollout of vaccines in December.
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