Don Lemon argues it’s time to ‘shun’ anti-vaxxers

“I think we have to stop coddling people," the CNN host said recently.

Don Lemon is frustrated with the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in America, telling his viewers that it’s time to “shun” those who refuse to get vaccinated.

“I think we have to stop coddling people when it comes to … the vaccines, saying, ‘Oh you can’t shame them. You can’t call them stupid.’ Yes, they are,” said Lemon on CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight, as reported by PoliticusUSA.

“The people who are not getting vaccines who are believing the lies on the internet instead of science, it’s time to start shaming them or leave them behind,” he continued.

46th Chaplin Award Gala Honoring Spike Lee - Arrivals
Don Lemon attends the 46th Chaplin Award Gala Honoring Spike Lee on Sep. 9, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

“People talk about, ‘well I don’t know what’s in the shot. I don’t know what’s in that shot’ … Do you know what they get shots in nowadays? In their rear ends. They’re getting shots to make it bigger. They’re getting shots in their face. They don’t know what’s in Botox. They don’t know what’s in this stuff,” he added.

“Stop it. Stop it with the ignorance. And we have to stop saying, you know, you have to listen to people. No, you don’t. These people are being harmful to the greater good,” he added. “You don’t have to listen to a minority of people who are being harmful to the greater good, and who are not acting on logic, reason and science,” Lemon told viewers.

Earlier this month, Lemon called out unvaccinated people for “taking up the space” in hospitals from vaccinated people who are “playing by the rules.

“It is putting a stress and strain on the system and people all over this country because some people who are so selfish are saying it’s my freedom and I don’t want to get vaccinated,” Lemon said. “Fine. But think about someone other than yourself. And if you don’t believe that COVID is real and that it can affect your health and possibly take your life, don’t go to the hospital then when you get sick.”

“Don’t take up the resources from other people who are playing by the rules, getting vaccinated, social distancing and putting their lives on the line to try to take care of the people who are there. That’s all I’m saying. That’s how I feel and I have no apologies,” Lemon said on his show.

Lemon, who is reportedly fully vaccinated, blamed the current political climate for fueling the hesitancy among the anti-vaxxers. 

In July, amid an uptick in infections and hospitalizations due to the delta variant, Lemon asked why so many Americans are “believing people on the internet instead of science and experts?

“How many people have to die,” he asked, saying, “if behavior is idiotic and nonsensical, I think that you need to tell people that their behavior is idiotic and nonsensical.”

Over the summer, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that the spread of the virus among the unvaccinated could lead to a “more problematic” variant. 

“If you allow the virus to freely circulate and not try to stop it, sooner or later you there is a likelihood you will get another variant that could — I’m not saying it will — that could be more problematic than the delta,” he said. “People who are unvaccinated should think about their own health, that of their family, but also the community responsibility to crush this virus before it gets even worse.”

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