John Oliver blames latest COVID-19 crisis on ‘foolish adults’ who won’t get vaccinated

On Sunday’s Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver discussed the rapidly spreading delta variant of Covid-19, particularly among the unvaccinated, with the U.S. averaging around 100,000 new infections a day. And Oliver specifically focused on children, who represent 15% of the new cases happening right now, and just how hard people are fighting against basic measures to help curb the spread, like having mask mandates in schools.

He pointed to a scene that was caught on video outside a Tennessee school board meeting as an example. In the clip, parents can be seen verbally assaulting a school board member after the meeting with threats like, “we know who you are” and “we will find you.”

And while vaccination numbers are slowly starting to climb again around the country, Oliver argues that it’s simply not enough. And he said that the lack of adults getting vaccinated is pretty much the main reason why mask mandates in school is even still a debate.

“We are only fighting about masks in schools because there are a bunch of foolish adults that have decided not to get the vaccine,” Oliver said. “And you're the fu**ing problem.”

Video Transcript

JOHN OLIVER: I'd like to talk about the coronavirus, because sadly a hot vax summer seems to be giving way to dip [BLEEP] autumns. The Delta. Variant is spreading wildly around the country, particularly among the unvaccinated, with the US averaging around 100,000 new infections a day.

KYLIE MAR: On "Last Week Tonight" Sunday, John Oliver addressed the current rise in COVID cases across the US, especially in children, who represent 15% of the new cases. And he looked at just how hard people are fighting against basic measures to help curb the spread, like having mask mandates in schools, pointing to this scene outside of a Tennessee school board meeting as an example.

MAN 1: Everybody's taking notes, buddy. Keep that little smile. We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we can find you, and we know who you are.

MAN 2: You will never be allowed in public again.

JOHN OLIVER: Holy [BLEEP].

KYLIE MAR: And while vaccination numbers are slowly starting to increase around the country, it's simply not enough, which, as Oliver argued, is why wearing masks in school is still a thing.

JOHN OLIVER: We are only fighting about masks in schools right now because there are a bunch of foolish adults who have decided not to get the vaccine. And to all of them I can only say, to quote a bunch of upsettingly loud idiots, we know who you are, and you're the [BLEEP] problem.