Governor Larry Hogan hints at locking down Maryland again over vaccine hesitancy

The Governor of Larry Hogan frames the situation as if he’d have no choice to lock down everyone again, if people continue to refuse to take the COVID vaccine.

In public remarks today, Larry Hogan talked about vaccine mandates for employees of the state. They need to decide by September 1st.

While stopping short of unilateral vaccine mandates, Hogan is requiring it for staff in congregate settings. As for mask mandates, he's not going to bring those back statewide either.

But that leaves Larry enough room to threaten stricter measures against the state's populace.

While Governor Hogan doesn’t outright state “we’re entering another lockdown,” it’s heavily implied given the tone of his remarks. He'll do it if he feels like he has to.

“Look I don’t care what misinformation or conspiracy theories you have heard. The plain and simple fact is that these vaccines are working. If you’re still unsure about the vaccines, here is the important fact for you to consider — nearly every, single, person… hospitalized or dying with COVID-19 in Maryland right now, is unvaccinated.”

The United States is splintered in how they’re responding to the COVID pandemic in the aftermath of the CDC decision that vaccinated people have to wear masks again. Something that broke previous promises by the President and Vice President.

What it now has devolved into is a war over individual freedoms. As the White House and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly feuded over the right approach to addressing pandemic related restrictions.

Ultimately it’s being left up to the states.

“Those of you who refuse to get vaccinated at this point, are willfully and unnecessarily putting yourself and others at risk of hospitalization and death. You are the ones threatening the freedoms of all the rest of us. The freedom not to wear masks, to keep our businesses open, and to get our kids back in school. And tragically, it may be only a matter of time until you do get COVID-19.”

A tone that’s similar to the beliefs espoused by CNN’s Don Lemon that unvaccinated people shouldn’t be allowed to participate in society whatsoever.

New York City Mayor de Blasio was this week one of the first cities to formally unveil a necessary vaccine mandate for citizens to be able to participate in public life. A measure that the Boston Mayor compared to slavery, showing the differences in opinion on the matter currently.

On the federal level, the Biden administration has rolled out vaccine mandates for all public sector employees as well as the US military.