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Crowds of people gathered outside the Michigan State Capitol building on Friday afternoon, August 6, to protest the idea of making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for schools, businesses and / or municipalities .
The approximately two-hour protest, which brought together more than an estimated 1,000 people in Lansing, was organized by the “Stand Up Hospitals & Fight For Medical Freedom” group, according to a flyer from the event.
Throughout the rally, speakers took turns criticizing government officials and presenting information that has been largely debunked by doctors and public health officials about COVID-19, vaccines and the effectiveness of masking. They called the vaccination warrants “immoral”, chanted “my body, my choice” and called on residents to contact their elected leaders against compulsory vaccinations.
MLive spoke to a handful of residents who gathered for the event, all sharing opposition to the vaccine requirement, especially those without full FDA approval. All three available vaccines received emergency use clearance from the FDA, meaning they still had to prove their vaccines were safe and effective, but could get people vaccinated faster due to the health emergency. . Now, these developers are seeking full approval from federal regulators.
People who spoke with MLive were not vaccinated for various reasons, or refused to share their vaccination status. They all expressed pride in participating in the event, and some noted that they appreciated being surrounded by other people with similar views.
In the crowd, people held signs that read “Force is criminal” and “Say no to segregation for immunization.” Others waved the flags of the United States, Gadsden (Don’t step on me) and even a few Trump flags.
Speakers at Friday’s event included State Representative Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, Representative Matt Maddock, R-Milford Twp., And Senator Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte.
More than 5 million Michigan residents have received at least a first dose of the vaccine, representing 58.8% of the state’s population aged 12 and over. About 54.3% of these people are fully vaccinated.
Health officials continue to champion vaccines as safe and effective in preventing COVID-19, especially serious illnesses resulting in hospitalization or death. Among the vaccinated population, less than 0.20% tested positive for the coronavirus after being fully vaccinated.
Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise again in Michigan. Over the past seven days, Michigan has recorded an average of 938 cases per day, up from 332 cases per day two weeks ago. Health officials point to the latest variant (delta), which is said to be more infectious than previous strains.
To find a vaccine near you, visit the Michigan COVID-19 vaccine website or go to VaccineFinder.org.
Learn more about MLive:
More than half of Michigan counties need to disguise again, CDC says
Delta variant coronavirus cases increase 165% in Michigan
Michigan coronavirus data for Thursday August 5: Positivity exceeds 10% in eight counties
Michigan reports a total of 3,962 new coronavirus cases over three days August 4-6
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