Vermont GOP Governor Opens Up Covid Vaccine Access to People Who Identify as Black, Indigenous or Non-White

UKRAINE - 2020/04/06: In this photo illustration, a vial labelled as Coronavirus vaccine and a syringe seen displayed as the world anxiously awaits for the vaccine against coronavirus. (Photo Illustration by

Vermont Governor Phil Scott (R) this week announced anyone over the age of 16 who identifies as black, indigenous or non-white is eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

“If you or anyone in your household identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC), including anyone with Abenaki or other First Nations heritage, all household members who are 16 years or older can sign up to get a vaccine!” Phil Scott tweeted on Thursday.

The state’s website breaks down different categories of people such as 50 years and older, English language learners and people in immigrant/refugee communities, school staff and child care workers, people who work in the public safety system and health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities.

“We still have much more to do to address the significant disparities in the rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death among Vermonters who are Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC),” the website reads. “Right now we are working with funded community partners to understand the barriers that might limit vaccine access for BIPOC Vermonters, as these require unique public health solutions.”

Vermont’s strategy of “working toward equity” sparked major backlash.

In a statement to Fox News Friday, Discovery Institute researcher Christopher Rufo called on public interest attorneys to file a lawsuit against Vermont.

“Vermont’s program of racially separated standards, which denies medical services to a specific racial group, is a flagrant violation of the Fourteenth Amendment,” he said.

“It follows the logic of critical race theory, which demands that society practice racial discrimination to rectify racial disparities, but is not compatible with American law. Sadly, Vermont is another example of state neo-racism that has gained in popularity in recent years. Public interest lawyers should immediately file suit against the governor.”

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Cristina began writing for The Gateway Pundit in 2016 and she is now the Associate Editor.

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