WASHINGTON, D.C. – FEBRUARY 23: Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) questions Xavier Becerra, nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on February 23, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Leigh Vogel-Pool/Getty Images)
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UPDATED 4:12 PM PT – Sunday, December 12, 2021
GOP Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recognize natural immunity when combating the coronavirus pandemic. Marshall voiced his support for COVID-19 booster shots, but said he believes not everyone needs one.
“The messaging coming out of the White House has to acknowledge natural immunity and be honest with America,” stated Marshall.
During an interview on Sunday, the GOP leader emphasized how the CDC reported 92 percent of Americans have some level of immunity to the virus and how it needs to be taken into account in regards to mandating vaccines. Marshall, who is also a medical physician, clarified he isn’t against the vaccines. However, he emphasized being transparent and honest with people about their immunity and giving them options is more efficient, adding “mandates don’t work.”
“If you’ve had the virus, that needs to be acknowledged and then a decision made with the patient and the doctor, deciding if they should get the booster or not. Maybe check their level of antibodies. Take into account what their healthcare situation is,” said Marshall.
The Kansas senator reiterated boosters are effective and strongly encouraged senior citizens, diabetics and others with underlying health conditions to get the booster, but also acknowledged a federal mandate isn’t a good solution.
“A diabetic…type II diabetic that’s had the virus, I would check their level of antibodies and probably encourage them to get the booster,” Marshall said. “But a 19-year-old Navy SEAL who has a higher chance of getting pericarditis, a heart inflammation, than going to the hospital from the virus, I probably would have a different answer. So, you cannot have a one-size-fits-all recommendation from the federal government.”
Make no mistake: Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates are not about public health or science. If they were, we’d recognize the 92% of Americans who have already built up immunity to this virus between vaccines and natural immunity. They are about control. pic.twitter.com/TGpIBI2f0W
— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) December 3, 2021
Marshall’s response came after every Senate Republican voted to overturn Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for private businesses earlier this year, also garnering support from Senate Democrats Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Jon Tester (Mont.).
The GOP and several Democrats are concerned the mandate is only making things worse for the economy due to labor shortages adding to the current supply chain crisis. Sen. Marshall has suggested the issue can be curbed better by handling vaccinations at a local level as opposed to federally.
“I think being honest with America is the plan. We know the mandates don’t work,” said Marshall. “From a practical standpoint, mandates are going to cause an economic shutdown. It’s going to exacerbate inflation. It’s going to cause brownouts. It’s going to cause supply chain disruptions and national security issues. Think about this: Half of the National Guard is not vaccinated yet. What would be happening in Kentucky right now if we shut down half of the National Guard? I support the vaccines, but not the mandates.”
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