Ilhan Omar Defers Vaccine Offer, Says It's 'Shameful’ Congress Gets Priority
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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) slammed the prioritization of the COVID-19 vaccine for members of Congress, saying she won’t get the shot that’s being made available to lawmakers because it should first go to “people who need it most.”
Omar, a first-term lawmaker whose father died from complications of the coronavirus in June, tweeted Sunday that it was “shameful” that politicians are in line to receive the vaccine before workers on the front lines of the pandemic “who are making sacrifices everyday.”
It would makes sense if it was age, but unfortunately it’s of importance and its shameful.
We are not more important then frontline workers, teachers etc. who are making sacrifices everyday.
Which is why I won’t take it.
People who need it most, should get it.
Full stop. https://t.co/JQgMftm5wX— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 20, 2020
A spokesperson for Omar’s office later clarified that the lawmaker believes Congress should get the vaccine ― but not before front-line workers.
Omar’s tweet prompted debate on the social media platform, where some hailed her stance and others suggested the Somali-born lawmaker should have received the shot to set an example. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes “vaccine hesitancy” among the Somali American community.
Omar’s announcement came in response to a question posed by journalist Anand Giridharadas, who’d asked if “our entire top political leadership” was receiving the shot “ahead of others because of their age or their importance.”
Serious question. Is seemingly our entire top political leadership getting the vaccine ahead of others because of their age or their importance?
— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) December 20, 2020
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also replied to Giridharadas’ question. She said “the actual answer” lies in a National Security Council policy from four years ago to establish “certain requirements for continuity of governance.”
“If it was within indiv power to ‘give’ the vaccine to someone else, I would!” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a second tweet. “But according to these protocols, there’s a chance it could have just been stored.”
“There’s also a real risk in this age of misinfo of how it would be weaponized if leaders refused to take it en masse,” she added.
The actual answer to your question lies in the National Security Council, which is where that decision was made in compliance with Presidential Policy Directive-40.
That policy was put in place in 2016 and established certain requirements for continuity of governance— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 20, 2020
If it was within indiv power to “give” the vaccine to someone else, I would! But according to these protocols, there’s a chance it could have just been stored.
There’s also a real risk in this age of misinfo of how it would be weaponized if leaders refused to take it en masse— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 20, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez documented receiving her shot Saturday on Instagram.
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New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), who downplayed the severity of the virus in the early days of the pandemic, was similarly angered by the prioritization of members of Congress to receive the shot, tweeting Monday that it was “outrageous” and “insulting.”
Congress has literally done nothing these last eight months. Now they are cutting the line and getting the vaccine ahead of residents in Long Term Care, nurses, and essential workers who stock our shelves.
It’s outrageous. And insulting. https://t.co/kQjiqKQCGg— Chris Sununu (@GovChrisSununu) December 21, 2020
Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) received their initial COVID-19 shots on Friday.
“Building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning,” Pence told reporters afterward.
President-elect Joe Biden received his first course of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Monday.
“I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it’s available to take the vaccine,” Biden said. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’m looking forward to the second shot. ... This is just the beginning.”
This article has been updated to include a response from Omar’s office.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
