CoCo County: COVID misinformation is a public health crisis

MARTINEZ, Calif. - Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday declared misinformation about COVID is a public health crisis.

Supporters of that declaration say bad information is just dangerous and is causing  people to hesitate about getting vaccinated.

"Nearly all COVID deaths in the united states are among people who are unvaccinated," said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia. "If every eligible person was vaccinated, we would have practically no deaths. The reason we brought this resolution... is because we need to do more than just let that misinformation stand."

But critics called the supervisors meeting to condemn the resolution.

One Contra Costa resident called it, "an attempt to demonize people's medical freedom of choice." Another caller asked, "who gives you the authority to define misinformation? COVID-19 affects all of us, but how we respond to it is a decision up to each individual."
 
"I've received a lot of letters that say this resolution is an infringement on free speech. It is not.  Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff said of the critics. You are welcome to continue saying whatever you wish to say." 

The resolution itself doesn't have an enforcement component; it is simply a public statement.