‘Completely totally crazy’: West Virginia senators comment on vaccine exemption debate

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Amid the statewide debate over religious exemptions to vaccine requirements in West Virginia, the Mountain State’s representation in Washington has weighed in on the topic.

During media availability with Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., on Thursday, 12 News asked Justice about his position on the subject.

“I think it is completely, totally crazy what we are doing in West Virginia in regard to that. We’re fighting with the state board of education. We’re fighting with people that are professionals with kids. We’re fighting with the medical community that are people that absolutely are the ones that are in the know and the ones that should be guiding us in regard to medicine.”

“We’re politicians. Politicians. How do we have any right, any right to be a self-proclaimed expert? We don’t, and we’re going to make real mistakes, and our kids are going to get in real trouble.”

Senator Justice was a staunch advocate for vaccinations during his time as Governor, which saw the beginning and end of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, he referenced the response from the first Trump administration in regard to vaccines and mentioned how the development of the COVID-19 vaccine helped save the lives of West Virginians.

“When the vaccines came out, and President Trump moved as fast as he could possibly move, and we’ve got the vaccine, we were all celebrating like you can’t imagine, really and truly in our nursing homes. If we hadn’t had that vaccine right then and all that, we would’ve lost thousands more people,” Justice said.

The growing debate comes as U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr issued his support last month for vaccine exemptions in West Virginia, specifically defending Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order that calls for religious exemptions in schools. The West Virginia Department of Education decided not to enforce the order, citing a bill on the subject that was introduced in the West Virginia Legislature that ultimately failed. The decision by the Department of Education has sparked multiple legal battles on the subject, one of which has continued into this week.

12 News also spoke with Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on Thursday, and she expressed her feelings against the anti-vaccine movement.

“I know there’s a debate going on here, but I personally think that removing all required vaccinations would be a step in the wrong direction, and I believe that’s what President Trump said at his last press conference.”

While the statewide debate on the topic was particularly ignited by Morrisey’s executive order and the Department of Education’s decision not to enforce it, the issue has now also gained national attention following the announcement from Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo that the state was moving to eliminate school vaccine mandates.

President Trump has expressed caution about Florida’s announcement, calling the situation a “very tough position” and adding that “you have some vaccines that are so incredible. I think you have to be very careful when you say some people don’t have to be vaccinated.”