Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has brought forward legislation that would block the federal government from creating COVID-19 vaccine mandates for children, including at public schools.
As reported by Fox News, “The legislation would bar any entity at the federal, state and local level that receives federal funding, including school districts, from requiring the vaccine for minors.”
“Parents should have the right to decide what is best for their children in consultation with their family doctor,” Cruz said in a statement late last week. “My view on the COVID-19 vaccine has remained clear: no mandates of any kind.”
President Joe Biden‘s administration has “repeatedly ignored medical privacy rights and personal liberty by pushing unlawful and burdensome vaccine mandates on American businesses, and now they are preparing to push a mandate on kids by pressuring parents — all without taking into account relative risk or the benefits of natural immunity,” Cruz reportedly said.
“Cruz said he is proud to introduce the legislation, which aims to keep the federal government from making ‘decisions related to a child’s health,’ concluding that those decisions are ‘best left to parents,’” the outlet noted.
Cruz recently criticized the Sesame Street team for announcing over the weekend of the ‘Big Bird’ character getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Cruz wrote on Twitter, “Government propaganda…for your 5 year old!”
Government propaganda…for your 5 year old! https://t.co/lKUlomnpq1
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 6, 2021
The push to get children vaccinated was met with criticism by some conservatives, while others pointed out that ‘Big Bird’ has been involved in previous vaccination campaigns.
Democratic Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio announced the city will be providing $100 to encourage kids to get the vaccine.
“We really want kids to take advantage, families to take advantage of that,” de Blasio told the press. “Everyone can use a little more money around the holidays, but more importantly, we want our kids and families to be safe.”
“The mayor also said that every public school in the city that serves children in the targeted age range will hold a dedicated vaccination day for those students beginning next week, which will cover about 1,070 sites over the course of the week by hitting roughly 200 schools per day,” The City noted.
As The Daily Wire reported last week, a pediatric dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is now authorized for use in children between the ages of 5 to 11. The CDC now recommends the vaccine for that age group.
“The endorsement, by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Tuesday, was the last step before doctors, nurses and pharmacists could start giving the shots,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
“Together, with science leading the charge, we have taken another important step forward in our nation’s fight against the virus that causes Covid-19,” Walensky said in a statement Tuesday evening.
Walensky has previously said she thinks kids should keep wearing face coverings in school even after they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccination.