the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Senator Declan O’Scanlon called on Governor Murphy to immediately do what he has consistently promised to do: follow CDC guidelines and science and end mask requirements, social distancing and other outdated mandates and restrictions.
O’Scanlon also called on the Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli to retract her false claim that vaccinated people still have a 5 percent likelihood of contracting COVID.
“The CDC has, as a pleasant surprise, acknowledged the now-overwhelming data we have that vaccinated or naturally immune people aren’t getting COVID themselves, or giving it to others. The CDC and the Biden Administration have joined those of us wisely and reasonably calling for an end to mask-wearing and social distancing mandates,” O’Scanlon said. “That the Governor has chosen to ignore this guidance sends the message that he doesn’t believe vaccines work.
“The Governor himself has said ‘we will certainly, as we always do, take the CDC guidance seriously.’ To only choose to follow CDC guidance when it fits the administration’s inclination towards prolonged restrictions, and reject it when it calls for an end to restrictions destroys the administration’s credibility.
“It also appears as if we have uncovered the driving force behind the administration’s consistent perpetuation of overly restrictive rules and mandates even in the face of a successful vaccine program.
“It became clear during a Senate Budget Committee hearing on May 11 that the Commissioner of Health doesn’t understand vaccine efficacy statistics. That’s terrifying, and so is the fact that the administration continues to formulate destructive policies based on this dangerous misunderstanding. The falsehood must be corrected immediately,” O’Scanlon continued. “The scariest thing about this is that it is indeed possible that the administration truly doesn’t understand these numbers. To date, they have acted as if they believe that vaccination still leaves 5 percent of population vulnerable. Their hinting that restrictions might never end as long as any level of COVID is present could be explained by such a total misunderstanding of vaccine efficacy statistics. Again, that’s frightening.
“A 95 percent efficacy of a vaccine doesn’t mean, as the Commissioner clearly stated, 5 percent of people are left vulnerable. It means 5 percent of those you could expect to contract the disease in a given population, over a given period of time, with a given level of virus prevalence. In simple numbers, if you have 100,000 people and would expect 1,000 people to be infected over a given period of time without any vaccine, then vaccinated them with a 95 percent efficacious vaccine, you’d statistically expect only 50 people to still become infected.
“Using the health commissioner’s striking misunderstanding, she would expect 5,000 people to become infected. This is a tremendously significant, almost stunning, misunderstanding,” O’Scanlon said. “If it is informing our policies, we need to stop right now. Current case and vaccine numbers, properly understood, dictate that we should end all rules, executive orders and restrictions.
“Mask and distancing mandates should end today, and the Governor and Commissioner should together directly retract the Commissioner’s erroneous statement.”
O’Scanlon added that confusion created by the Governor’s inaction creates problems for small business.
“By breaking away from the CDC, the Governor put business and restaurant owners in the untenable position of having to enforce rules that everyone now knows are counter to science, and counter to federal government guidelines,” O’Scanlon said.
“‘It is going to be an absolute shit show,’ a restaurant owner in my district said. It is deplorable the Governor would put business owners in this bind.”
I agree totally with this article. I have the good fortune of living on the western edge of Mercer County. I can be in PA in 5 minutes. Today I shopped at Sam’s Club in Langhorne mask-free. What a joy to shop without a mask on for the first time in over a year! Until our NJ governor follows the CDC guidance, all of my shopping dollars will be spent in PA!
“Today I shopped at Sam’s Club in Langhorne mask-free.”
Proof a local blog can boast solid regional influence.
Keep up the good work PJ.
this is getting tiresome, but again….
HE DOES NOT CARE
Phil Murphy is obviously not a very intelligent person and he surrounds himself with the like. He better not get re-elected or he will drive this state into the ground.
“[Governor Murphy] better not get re-elected or he will drive this state into the ground.”
__________
For an establishment candidate like Gov. Murphy to be denied re-election requires a one-man or one-woman “well-regulated militia”.
Willing and able to (rhetorically) fight back instantly and in spades when attacked ad hominum.
Well-equipped with a moderate temperament, a good sense of humor, a talent for showmanship, and a veins-in-the-teeth unwillingness to cede the moral high ground.
Capable of self-reflection and of subtle and forward-thinking analysis, and keenly aware and respectful of how he or she comes off to truly reasonable and demonstrably unaffected citizens and voters of every stripe (not just party faithful), while, at the same time, ready to deploy and expend an ample supply of political capital in when the issue in question ties directly back to bedrock principles and is therefore not properly the subject of routine political compromise.
Ready and willing to lead, even when the prevailing political, cultural, and social winds are all directly in his or her face.
Well-disposed to those of a traditional moral and religious perspective who when faced with the synthesis of all heresies reflexively set their faces like flint.
After all reasonable precautions are taken, and appropriate defensive measures prepared and put in place, inclined to place his or her individual fate and that of the state and our country in the hands of God, and to move forward boldly and courageously rather than cower or live his or her life in fear of what the future might bring.
A masculine leader visibly devoid of effeminacy.
In other words, a true American.
Admittedly such people are rare these days. They tend to attract withering fire wherever they go. But we must identify, elevate, and support them wherever they can be found. Otherwise, and as you have already suggested, they and we certainly will end up being trod underfoot.