Fox News host Sean Hannity is back to casting doubt on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine after boosting it last month.
“The science shows the vaccine will not necessarily protect you. It’s not protecting many people,” Hannity claimed during an interview with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Wednesday night.
The vast majority of COVID-19 patients who have been hospitalized or died from the virus in recent months were unvaccinated. While new data collected since the emergence of the delta variant shows a rise in breakthrough infections, the vaccine remains overwhelmingly effective in preventing severe illness and death.
Hannity and DeSantis were touting Florida’s new state-run clinics that treat COVID-19 with a monoclonal antibody treatment sold by Regeneron, which the governor claimed “can keep you out of the hospital” (which is exactly what the vaccine does). One of DeSantis’ top donors is the CEO of the hedge fund Citadel, which happens to have a significant investment in Regeneron Pharmaceutical, the Associated Press noted.
“When people that are fully vaccinated — or not — get COVID they can get the infusion of Regeneron as quickly as possible and that’s going to be available all across the state. You’re doing that everywhere right now, is that correct?” Hannity asked the governor.
“That’s right,” DeSantis replied.
Hannity’s remarks on Wednesday were a whiplash-inducing reversal from remarks during a program in July when he asserted that he believed in “the science of vaccination” and pleaded with his viewers to “talk to your doctor” about the vaccine.
“It absolutely makes sense for many Americans to get vaccinated,” the Fox host said at the time. “I believe in science, I believe in the science of vaccination.”
That plea itself was another reversal from his previous downplaying of COVID-19.
Fellow Fox News host Tucker Carlson has also aired doubts during his show about whether the vaccine works amid conservatives’ culture war against COVID-19 protection measures.
Meanwhile, the network has had a policy since June of requiring all of its employees to disclose their vaccination status.
Watch Hannity and DeSantis below:
Sean Hannity casts doubt on the COVID-19 vaccine as Gov. DeSantis peddles Regeneron treament for the virus. pic.twitter.com/b1sr1MX6Rt
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) August 19, 2021
