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Extended Clip: Polk Sheriff Grady Judd Explains Why You Should Get The Vaccine
Sheriff Judd explains why he got shot and why he won’t force anyone else to do it.
WINTER HAVEN, Florida – When Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has something to say, he never strikes, especially on something as big as COVID-19.
His agency just lost one of theirs to the virus. Veteran MP Christopher Broadhead, father of five, died of COVID-19 after being hospitalized for weeks.
“This virus is real and it’s deadly, and Christopher is the iconic child of it,” Sheriff Judd said. “He was only 32 and healthy and now he’s not with us.”
Judd did not say if Broadhead was vaccinated.
“I’m not comfortable with disclosing medical information, but the overwhelming majority of people hospitalized with COVID are not vaccinated,” he said.
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But Judd was eager to discuss his own vaccination.
“My wife and I were vaccinated on the first day when we were eligible,” he said. “I had four direct exposures over a three week period. One of the people I was exposed to sat right on that chair. He is currently in the hospital in serious condition. next to which I sat, the previous week, has passed away. “
“Listen to the doctors, don’t listen to the politicians; get vaccinated,” he continued. “It is a sad set of circumstances that, from the president down to the bottom, we have politicized this very dangerous disease. We have to follow the doctors, the scientists, who have spent their entire lives preparing and saving the lives of people.”
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Judd said he hoped to lead by example, not by warrant.
“It’s a personal decision. The government or businesses have no right to enter into your personal affairs,” Judd said. “I will absolutely not make the vaccine mandatory. Full stop. I think this is government abuse.”
No other local first responder agency requires employees to be vaccinated. And while the only way for them to know someone hasn’t been vaccinated is if the employee voluntarily gives this information, they have rough estimates.
In Hillsborough, it appears about half of firefighters’ employees are not vaccinated. In Polk, it’s closer to two out of three.
According to Judd, about 50 PCSO employees have tested positive for the virus, and five are currently hospitalized, including one on a ventilator.
For them, and so many other unvaccinated first responders, Judd has this advice.
“If you didn’t have the motivation to get the shot, I hope Christopher’s untimely death will give you the motivation,” he added.
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