108 Unvaccinated Santa Barbara Deputies Still Not Testing

December 18, 2021, 10:11 am 28.9k Views 162 Comments

This story was originally published by the Santa Barbara Independent and is reproduced here in partnership with Edhat.

By Tyler Hayden of The Independent

Eight weeks after Santa Barbara initiated a vaccine-or-test mandate for all county workers, 108 unvaccinated Sheriff’s deputies still have not submitted to the weekly tests, according to data from the county’s Human Resources Department. The group accounts for 37 percent of the Sheriff’s Office’s 292 “law enforcement deputies,” most of whom are on patrol assignments. All 250 of the department’s “custody deputies” at the Main Jail, however, are either vaccinated or actively testing, the data shows.

The holdouts remain concerned about the privacy of their medical information, said Joe Pisano, an employee relations chief with Human Resources. They are uncomfortable with how much information they are being asked to provide, he explained, as well as its security when it is collected, along with their test results, by an outside testing company and ultimately shared with the California Department of Public Health. There has also been worry raised that the company, which counts a former tech executive among its directors, will attempt to somehow monetize the information. “I don’t share these concerns, but I understand them,” Pisano said.

Pisano said he has been meeting nearly every week since September with members of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA) union, which represents 94 of the untested deputies. “It’s just a difficult issue,” he said. Not all of the members may feel as strongly about the matter as their DSA leadership, he said, “but they tend to band together.” It’s also not clear when the county may decide to take a stronger stance, Pisano went on, but he’s hopeful negotiations will conclude before any disciplinary action is necessary. “We’re not trying to stress people out,” he said. Changing testing companies may be one of the solutions.

Supervisor Das Williams, who has enjoyed considerable support from the DSA during recent elections, said he’s “anxious” for the talking to end and the swabbing to begin. Sheriff Bill Brown pushed back against the characterization that the deputies are simply refusing to be tested. ‘“Refusing’ is really not an accurate description of what is happening,” he said. Complicating matters is the fact that the DSA is in separate negotiations with the county over their 2022 employment agreement. 

DSA president Sgt. Neil Gowing blamed the holdup mainly on scheduling issues. “Most of the delays are just due to getting dates scheduled that work for all of the parties to actually sit down and talk and work out the details,” he said. “But we are making good progress.” Gowing said the DSA will continue working with the county to “get all the details worked out as soon as we possibly can, while making sure we don’t neglect our duties and oath to the community members we serve and the victims we advocate for.” 

Meanwhile, Santa Barbara County is experiencing an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the midst of winter holidays and spread of the Omicron variant. Active cases have increased 6 percent in the past two weeks, while the daily case rate per 100,000 unvaccinated residents jumped from 16.6 to 24.1. Hospitalizations went up 34 percent in the same time frame, and intensive care admissions rose 120 percent. Statewide, the daily average of new infections has risen 50 percent since Thanksgiving.

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Written by Tyler Hayden

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  4. The SBSO has been coddled on this and various other issues for long enough. They signed up for a career that requires following reasonable orders, and this is one of them. The fairy tale that police are being “defunded” doesn’t deserve a serious response. SBSO has been an unprofessional cesspool for years anyways, if they want my tax dollars they should earn it. Not pull me over for nonsense because of the color of my skin. I’m retired law enforcement! WTF!!

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  5. FIRE. THEM. ALL. They are refusing to comply with orders. Simple. Why is there even a discusssion. You get vaxxed or you test, you don’t get to refuse both and then demand to keep your job, especially when you are in constant contact with the public. This is disgusting.

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  6. Fire them all? Not wise to make such a statement when it’s solely based on emotions. How many people would be happy with them all being fired…..one, two….three? I’d say no more than four or six would be happy to have them lose their jobs. Of course those who lob verbal attacks on our local LE are the first ones to call 911 when the leaves rustle outside…..”I think there’s a killer outside my door…..come SAAAAAAVE ME…..Waaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!” ….then, LE leaves their place and realize the wimp was simply an emotionally unstable weakling of a complainer…but helped them anyway. We get it: you people hate cops!
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  7. Getting an FDA-approved vaccine given to tens of millions is hardly a “forced medical procedure.” Dramatic much? Maybe they can get injected with Himalayan salt and essential oils then assigned to parking enforcement in Lompoc lmao

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  8. I don’t understand why vaccinated people are still exempt from testing. The latest studies indicate the leading vaccines in the us are only 33% effective at preventing infection with omnicron, and there have been documented incidents where fully vaccinated and even boosted people have been infected in superspreader events (see article below). Since the existing vaccines have very limited effectiveness in preventing transmission of omnicron, any policy requiring testing should require everyone to be tested regardless of vaccination status. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/danvergano/omicron-infection-surge

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  9. Watch out, if you don’t eat your broccoli big bad Antifa is going to get you!! What a silly fairytale. Oh look, I can cherrypick with the political blame game too. Have you been to the rural south recently? Meth, crime, heroine and unemployed blight everywhere. They’re rapists, murderers, and some I assume are good people.

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  12. And, of course, if you’re NOT vaccinated, you’re even more of a threat to yourself and everyone else around you, something that Chip can’t seem to figure out. All the more reason to get vaccinated and boosted, to bring you back to 75%, at least. Sure beats getting or giving long COVID!

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  14. Are there replacements available for hire, if these anti-vaxxers are fired? If so, then yes, let’s get rid of these selfish fools. If not, well, that could be an issue. And perhaps there could be expensive legal repercussions. We need to know more.

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  20. These men & women go through extensive background checks, vetting and physicals to have this job. They have no secrets. Yet they are worried about the government knowing their COVID status? It’s BS. They are trying to play politics. If they are so afraid of big brother or a higher authority, they shouldn’t be in LE. Bill Brown’s good ole boys club needs to be taken down a notch.

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  21. AHCHOO – the down vote is because some people are intolerant of any questions at all regrading covid compliance. Meanwhile, across the pond, Jeremy Corbin is standing with laborers in supporting freedom of choice re vaccination and getting vilified for it.

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  22. To understand the deputies’ concern, we need to know what information they are being asked to provide. Seems to me all that is needed is their employee ID number and name. All the employer needs to know is, “does this person currently test positive for covid-19?” What private info is the test company requesting, and why?

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  26. Last I checked, the United States was a FREE country- although, with the current Administration, it seems their goal is to diminish our liberties and freedoms we have had for more than 200 years… Cops, lawyers and circus clowns are FREE to do what they want with their bodies.

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  27. I’m in favor of forcing people to stop at red lights, wearing clothing in public, keeping their hands off of other people and their property, passing a driving test before driving on public roads, driving sober, etc. etc. and so is VOLies.

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  28. People who aren’t appallingly stupid, ignorant, and dishonest are very concerned about what others do in regard to infectious diseases. You have no clue what research even is , what responsibility is, what governments are or do, or how the US succeeded. // Omicron is coming for us all. There is no “natural immunity” to it. Vaccines are less effective at preventing being infected by Omicron than by Delta and other previous variants, and less effective at preventing hospitalization, but they are still =>70%

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  31. So, Coastwatch, when military personnel deploy in to areas with diseases that could be avoided through vaccination, and they choose to not get vaccinated and can therefore no longer do their duty when they get sick, you’re good with that because Freedom?
    You don’t seem to understand that the constitution says nothing about a guaranteed right to a certain form of employment.

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  37. Indeed, this is an excellent reason to care what other people do. Health care workers contract and die from COVID at a higher rate than the general population, and they are burning out and quitting the field, putting all of us at risk not just from COVID but from any condition requiring hospitalization.

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  42. Fire them. All of them. If you’re too dumb to see the value in protecting society from a deadly pathogen, you’re too dumb to be given a badge, a gun and qualified immunity. These people are clearly not able to perform the duties required by them. Adios morons.

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  45. 6:19, yours is a point that the unvaccinated just don’t seem to comprehend. Yes, they are free to risk their own health. But why do they feel no responsibility to avoid stressing the hospital workers? Perhaps they are in denial, think it can’t happen to them, or don’t believe the statistics showing that the unvaccinated are far more likely to require hospital care. Their self-centered attitude infuriates me.

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  48. You may not know but. anyone in the military has waived their rights and are under a different rule of law.
    Kind of like Wash. DC,where the rules for thee don’t apply to me.
    If you can’t grasp that thought ,you can’t have an honest conversation about what goes on in”reservations”.
    If that is too tough,realize EVERY military base is a “reservation”.

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  49. A lot of it flows from political identity–kneejerk opposition to “the libs”. We see a lot of that in the comments here, with nonsensical claims about “freedom” that these people do not manifest in other aspects of their lives, where they go about obeying laws, demanding that others respect authority figures, etc. And this association between political identity and opposing vaccines and masks flows almost entirely from tfg’s ego-driven campaign to create that linkage,

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  50. I support their right to medical freedom. Nobody should be forced to get vaccinated. If you are afraid of the virus, then you have the right to get vaccinated yourself. In which case you should not be concerned with what others do. Do your research on natural immunity versus vaccination and make a wise decision. There will be no end to Covid variants. Take responsibility for your own survival and don’t rely on the government or others to do it for you. The USA did not succeed by being submissive to authority.

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  53. 8:58 – You may not know, but vaccinations are required for all sorts of employment and education, to protect public health, and it has nothing to do with “reservations”. You are free to be stupid, but only if your stupidity doesn’t endanger others.

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  54. I support the right of my surgeon to have a glass of wine or two, but I don’t support them doing that when they’re supposed to operate on me. Every profession has certain responsibilities, the Sheriff’s Office needs to uphold their public safety responsibility.

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  58. And if the court cases currently working their way through the judiciary determine the vaccine mandate is either against the law or unconstitutional would you apologize to the LEO’s (and everyone else) for your ugly rhetoric and threats associated with this unconstitutional “rule”?

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  62. Possibly so for the ordinal variant, that is simply not the case for Delta and beyond. Maybe you haven’t been paying attention to the fully vaccinated colleges and professional sports teams having significant outbreaks? But keep calling people names, it really shows your ability to articulate a response to back up your position.

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  63. The outputs of the cognitive engine in your noggin are quite remarkable. Now it’s that a vote among the commenters on an EdHat thread–or rather your perception of what the outcome of such a vote would be–should determine public policy. Not only that, but you’re saying that given an even split between the two positions–which are roughly that the cops should be required to be vaccinated or that the cops shouldn’t be required to be vaccinated–it’s only fair that the position you favor–that they shouldn’t be required to be vaccinated–should prevail.
    What’s most remarkable is that you think that this is a persuasive argument.
    If you’re so concerned about our collective health, then I suggest that you stop posting such stuff, because this sort of “reasoning” puts a great mental strain on everyone.

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  66. I’ll just accept the fact that you simply disagree with me. You realize that when you say, “….I suggest that you stop posting such stuff, because this sort of “reasoning” puts a great mental strain on everyone”…. that you have made over 20 comments….that’s 20% of the total comments. 20% of the comments are made by single genius of a person…think about it. One person has made so many more important comments and then scolds, “…. then I suggest that you stop posting such stuff, because this sort of “reasoning” puts a great mental strain on everyone.” Ooooohkaaaaaaayyyyyyyy….. (20% of the comments….un-b-lee-buh-bull).

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  67. I grasp the intellectual dishonesty of such responses. CW claimed that people are free to do what they want with their bodies–that of course is not true. And no one is forcing anyone to inject something–they have options, like getting tested or quitting their jobs. And there’s nothing new about this, nor is it contrary to U.S. laws and principles, which RW freedumb frauds trample on every day.

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  71. “that is simply not the case for Delta and beyond.”
    Wrong. Vaccination reduced infection by Delta by 70%, and reduces hospitalzation by 93%.
    “Maybe you haven’t been paying attention to the fully vaccinated colleges and professional sports teams having significant outbreaks?”
    Fallacious anecdotal reasoning.

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  73. VOICE at 1:23 (come on man, jig is up) – no. Will you apologize for those who were prosecuted under laws that no longer exist? People jailed for years because of 1 joint?
    But, that’s not the point, is it? No. The rule is get vaxxed or get tested. They have an option. They are refusing to follow the rule. They don’t (like those with a single joint didn’t) get to decide which rules/laws they want to comply with. You break the law, you accept responsibility. Stop defending criminals.

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  74. VOICE – and what “threats” have I ever made? Fire them? Why wouldn’t you? Why would you allow someone to refuse to follow the rule with no consequences? Let me guess, you got a lot of participation trophies and “atta boys” for just showing up, eh? No, no consequences, let everyone do what they want, right?

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  75. OLDE MANN – how about keeping your hands off people if you haven’t been vaxxed or tested? You would have to agree then, that these cops should be at the very least sidelined and not allowed to interact with the public if they won’t get tested.
    Also, no one is “forcing” them to get vaccinated. They have the option to get tested, but they are REFUSING to do that. Stop mollycoddling them. They’re adults and have to accept responsibility for their actions, just as we all do. They are not above the law.

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  79. VOICE at 3:30 – what “hateful words?” You cry for these pour merciful souls and it’s just gross. No one is wishing harm on them, just demanding they be held accountable like the very people they arrest on a daily basis. Cry me a river man….

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  80. “concerns about the company’s alleged ties to the Chinese government.” – Oh grand. Not only are these cops law breakers, they’re also conspiracy theorists.
    People of Los Angeles – stay home! Avoid any contact with your Qanon cops!

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  82. If the FBI called the sheriff in to brief him on the concern it is certainly not a conspiracy theory. In completing the consent form to get tested it even states and gives them company the right to collect and take your biologicals material out of the country. Please at least read up on the concern before you two start spouting off.

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  84. If Covid were killing 5-50% of infected, one could make the case for panic inoculations/lockdowns. Covid is killing a small percentage of people few of which were healthy before they got Covid. Covid is not threatening to end society, but the measures invoked are threatening society, socially and economically. Just look at the vehement, viscious argument about this topic which is at least as damaging to society as the loss of a fraction of a percent of the population. I always thought that it was the Right who were the Fascists and now my liberal friends fall solidly under that definition.

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  85. LEO’s are pretty conservative, lotta Trump supporters in their ranks. That’s why a lot of them go to Idaho when they retire. No surprise they think the vaccines are the devil’s work. See WA Post story, “Police made a lot more reported contributions in 2020 than normal — mostly to Republicans”

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  86. Ya gotta wonder why they would support the orange poster child for floutlaw and disorder. But, then again, if they’re refusing vaccines, they’re not really into any of the public service aspects of their jobs, just the power trip, so that may explain it.

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  88. 5:18 nailed it. Most cops are on a lifelong power trip. Every single one (except one) that I know has been that way since their youth. No interest in law and order. It’s a lifestyle for them (most of them). Power and nothing else.

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  93. Amazing that these deputies that are profiting so handsomely from their government job don’t trust the government to do their jobs. Maybe would be happier in private industry and I would be glad to encourage them to go with a notice of dismissal.

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  94. Well since you’re a such a remarkable, stable genius, what’s the preferred R rate for an infectious pathogen such as Covid19?
    Please, cite the studies when you post your answer. You know, math… Otherwise, odds are that you’re just parroting a talk show host or your friend’s cousin’s sister’s husband who washes dishes at the Mayo Clinic…
    “The problem with idiots is that they’re idiots. ” Jack Handey

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  95. The unvaccinated do not pass on a stronger variant than the vaxxed and boostered. The variant attacks and causes greater symptoms to the unvaccinated.
    Science says that the vaccinated and boostered still may get the Omicron variant, they will be contagious, and they may have no symptoms. They may pass on symptoms because they may not know or feel they are sick. They will also possibly be filled with hubris, which is not medically scientific, but readily noticed

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  99. They should have to do it. I was completely against it but if I did not I would have lost my job. The problem(s) with the sheriffs dept. is they are a protected gang of thugs. They don’t follow the rules they are suppose to but make sure we do. They say, oh we need time to talk about the details, we’ll go down to CVS and they will explain that for you. Until they follow the rules they should not be working, especially in their line of work. How many people does an officer come in close contact with in a time period of a shift. Way more than you and I going to the store. Follow the rules or find a new job. Thats what everyone else was forced to do. Just because you have a badge that should not make any difference.

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  102. How low does the vaccines ability to reduce transmission need to fall before the keyboard tyrants here will let people and their doctors make their own medical decisions? How many fully vaccinated populations need to have breakthrough outbreaks before they realize the current vaccines won’t solve the problem they want it to (transmission)? Fortunately, the vaccines effectiveness against severe cases and hospitalizations has remained strong so get your shots, get you booster, and you don’t have to worry about what other people do.

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  103. Wrong. You still have to worry about the unmasked and unvaxxed idiots who may give you COVID, or spread it to your vulnerable fellow humans. The people who reject vaccination, masking, and distancing protocols have rejected civilization, and are nothing but narcissistic fools.

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  107. Achoo- I do not write them off as though they’ve one foot in the grave, but I do maintain that it is up to them to protect themselves. Our population is not being decimated, nor is this a general threat. As stated, the social and economic costs to society of lockdowns etc. are not warranted given the low death rate.
    I rode that wave of fear, alcohol scrubbing all groceries etc. leaving the farm only 2-3 times a month, masked etc. Now life is back to normal aside from the fact that we mask indoors out of respect for others indoors. Mask? Yes, jab NO! Time will reveal all regarding these particular vaccines. Ask me in 6 years.

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  113. It appears that the commenters on this thread are split about 50/50 or certainly close enough as to where one set of beliefs does not dominate the other. It would seem fair to allow those officers who choose to get vaccinated/boosted to do so; and for those officers who choose not to be vaccinated for a multitude of reasons, well…let them decide. Fair is fair and each of us has to make our own decisions without being called names and vilified just because you think I should agree with your beliefs. News Flash: It doesn’t work that way.
    Please keep in mind that our collective mental health is being challenged like never before. If all of this pandemic stuff, mandates, and such are causing you pain/anger/angst, please seek help. If you notice someone close to you lashing out, name calling or seem to be having mental issues, breakdowns, etc. help them get help. It’s up to each and everyone of us to help others…not tear them down and belittle them.

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  114. You simply don’t get it. Its apparent that no amount of information or logic will ever get through your thick skull if you still believe that the issue with COVID is it’s perceived death rate. Our health care system is on the verge of collapse, but your feelings say the experts are wrong.

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  115. COAST – “Cops, lawyers and circus clowns are FREE to do what they want with their bodies.” Not when it puts those around you at risk. I can’t get high on PCP and cover myself with razor blades and go running through a crowd of people. Should I be able to? “Land of the free!”
    More seriously, how about those with AIDs or other deadly communicable diseases? It’s their body, but they can be prosecuted for intentionally infecting others.
    No, you can’t do whatever you want with your body. No law has ever said that.

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  116. SBO that is gross misinformation, our health care system is no where near being on the verge of collapse. But you bring up a good question, in the past 18 months why the heck haven’t we significantly strengthened our health care capacity and it’s ability to handle surges in cases? We knew it would be needed and instead of strengthening it, training more health care workers, utilizing the national guard for assistance, setting up covid treatment centers, we’re threatening to fire health care workers if they don’t get vaccinated.

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  117. Honestly, how is this even up for debate? Law enforcement officers refusing to follow the rules? How can this stand? This is not an “anti-cop” thing (although their hypocrisy makes it worse), no…. this is about an employee refusing to do their job. An employee (paid by taxpayers) REFUSING to take any measures to protect the public, with whom they are in CONSTANT close physical contact.
    These hypocrites are not practicing their “freedoms,” they’re violating the rules and endangering the public. FIRE THEM NOW.

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  119. It is interesting to see how some of the “fire them” and “F the cops” folks (macpuzzel, sacjon, sbo, and so on) are now leaning toward supporting these officers and their medical decisions. Thank goodness because it seemed for a moment or 2 like I was living in an alternate universe! LOL!!!

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  120. I am vaccinated. I wear my mask indoors as required. If someone I’m with is overly Covid sensitive, I wear my mask for them. If someone wants to wear their mask when the situation doesn’t require it, I don’t make a peep.
    I don’t care about Covid anymore means I don’t pay any attention to excessively high fear factor media reporting about Covid. I don’t look at any Covid statistics. I don’t care about anyone’s vaccination status. I’m sorry for all the people living in extreme fear as if Covid is the Black Plague and Ebola rolled into one.
    Because of Covid measures, my brother was forced to postpone a follow up colonoscopy. He finally got it scheduled earlier this year only to find out he has stage 3 colon cancer, and now he is in the battle of his life. Had Covid not so interfered with normal diagnostic procedures, his cancer would have been detected earlier with better chances of survival.

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  122. VOICE at 4:57 (this is just getting silly now) – of COURSE we all know it had collateral damage. My kids suffered from remote learning. My family lost two close family members and we were unable to mourn together. Our income was devastated by losing business. It has been devastating to all! How dare you keep spouting your imbecilic all or nothing mantra though! We’ve all lost, but imagine how much more we would have lost had we not taken immediate and drastic action. It’s absolutely absurd and morally deficient to try to say our response was not effective in saving untold thousands, if not millions, of lives.

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  123. BABY – 1) “fire them” and “f the cops” are 2 different things. I never said f the cops. 2) How on earth to you get from any comments here that I am leaning toward supporting them? FIRE THEM NOW. The are refusing to follow orders and putting the public at risk. They had a choice. They made it and now they have to accept the consequences. Let them pull up their bootstraps and be adults. No more participation trophies!

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  126. Bcakes, this is like your posting a joking reply to posts criticizing you. I can’t follow your arguments; not sure you can either. You always seem to slide between two poles of argument.
    I have read nothing that indicates that the posters you mention have changed their position on this issue.
    Even when I’ve posted after drinking, I’ve never been as inconsistent as you!

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  127. “ShastaGuy” I hope you seek out other outlets than posting here, even under a screen name, where you will be attacked.
    Nothing wrong with therapy and online support groups, including grief groups. I hope you consider other outlets.

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  128. If you believe in the efficacy of the vaccines, then why should the existence of some unvaccinated person out there whom you will never meet make you crazy. We need to stop feeding Covid hysteria. I don’t care about Covid at all anymore.

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  129. ME ME ME! ME!!!!!!! MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
    People like this are the worst type of citizen. The worst kind of Patriot. And, the worst type of neighbor and human being. They are selfish, awful people. But fear not fellow Humans! Karma will assure that these awful, selfish, greedy people get what they deserve.
    She doesn’t care what they think, who they kneel towards and where they went to school. She only cares how they treat other people. You may not be scared of Covid Shatsta Guy, but Karma does. And she doesn’t take repentance or tearful apologies as payment. Good luck!

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  130. Sure you do buddy, sure you do. Oh, you’re talking about your cousin’s friend’s sister’s husband’s testicles… We already know about him.
    Math is really hard for stupid people. Really hard. That’s why its used as a simple method to test whether someone is indeed a moron. Guess what BDM1868? You failed.

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  135. Apparently you’re not familiar with American law. Sign a DNR? You’re not going on a ventilator. Have a living will? They’ll follow the orders laid out in the doc…
    Choose not to get a vaccine? It should come with a DNR. After all, you’re choosing your own care. You’re in charge of your dominion! Including your financial obligations.
    We are very close to health insurance companies no longer covering patients who CHOOSE not to follow medical advice for the vaccine. Which will just accelerate the bankruptcy of the anti-government medicine crowd (most of which are already on the edge of poverty).
    If you believe in your body autonomy, then put your signature on a DNR. Otherwise you’re just a scared, little-bity, whiney, hypocrite, unwilling to hold to their convictions when it matters… In other words a cowardice, yellowbelly, selfish, jerk.
    Don’t want the vaccine? Fine. Sign a DNR and accept your fate. The odds are not good, but then again stupid people are often baffled by basic math.

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  136. 4:36 – You do realize that the delays in medical procedures were as a result of the behavior of people who didn’t follow the shutdown and masking recommendations, flooding hospitals with COVID patients? You know, people who still wanted to go to indoor gyms, and refused to mask while in them? Some of those people even bragged about it here.

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  137. Eat fast food all the time. Get sick, fat and feel awful.
    Do you really need others to tell you that eating fast food is bad for you? If you do, you’re really not very good at critical thinking. News and information is the same. Do you really need others to tell you that consuming crap is bad for you? If so, you’re a target, not a consumer.

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  139. VOICE – which side should I be on? The one cowering in anonymity? The one who thinks cops refusing to follow the rules is just fine and dandy while at the same time demanding that minorities “comply” to avoid being murdered by thugs with badges? The one who still, AFTER TWO YEARS, doesn’t understand (or willfully ignores) that covid can affect those other than themselves? Nah….. I’m pretty sure I’m on the right side. History will (and is) judging the selfish side harshly. I’m proud to tell my kids and grandkids I was on the right side of this.

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  141. 8:27 – Sure. It’s simple to find reliable sources of news if you have any critical thinking ability. Look for sites with accredited journalists (not “infotainment”), and sources that the medical profession uses to disseminate discoveries. Not hard at all.
    Some major sources are the NY Times, LA Times, and the BBC.
    You can find others at MediaBiasFactCheck.com
    But, you sound like someone thoroughly brainwashed at this point, so we won’t expect much.

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  144. VOICE – of course it is. You have scolded us time and time again here telling people if they are vulnerable to stay home so you don’t have to wear masks in public or force people to chose between the vax or testing or their jobs. That is the entire foundation of “your side.” It’s all about “You can’t force me to do something I don’t want to do even if it protects my family or friends or coworkers or neighbors or the elderly or anyone.”
    And before you respond with “but but but the vax isn’t effective, look at Florida” or some other vacuous response, remember what we keep trying to drill into your stubborn heads —–> it’s not “all or nothing.” If the vax and masks help, we should use them.
    We’re getting tired of this. 2 years of this. No wonder SBO is lashing out. We’d ALL love to lash out. We’re SICK of your selfishness.

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  148. Being deputies who are professional interrogation experts themselves, they know the amount and kind of information they are being required to provide goes way above and beyond what is necessary for this simple procedure and it is causing suspicions and concern. And rightly so.

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  149. 11:52 (VOICE again?) – 8:55’s comment is 100% verifiably true. Those who refused to stay home, take any precautions, etc during the initial spikes of COVID were the majority of ICU inhabitants (until they died). This is a fact and it’s easily proven. Also, many people on here back then were flaunting their disregard of any restrictions. Again, easily proven. So, both statements by 8:55 are 100% accurate and you are, once again completely WRONG.

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  150. VOICE – ” only those that refused to stay home and take any precautions were the majority of ICU cases.” That doesn’t even make sense. Stop throwing only and always around so much. How do you even dispute that though? The majority of people getting covid were the ones out basically looking for it and refusing to hunker down during that initial year. Just look at those states that had no restrictions at the beginning of this. Look at Florida and Texas in the summer of 2020. Their numbers were the same, and many times HIGHER than CA’s with HALF the population. Now, it’s the unvaxxed who make up the majority of deaths/ICU cases. Here’s the proof on that: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/23/covid-patients-in-icu-now-almost-all-unvaccinated-says-oxford-scientist.
    To say none of that is true is mind blowing and insanity.

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  151. Your and 8:55’s claim is false and not supported by facts.
    1) 60% + of the covid deaths last year were in people over 75, you really think people 75 + weren’t taking precautions? What about all the people in long-term or elderly care facilities, nope, no precautions there, they were “looking for it” as you state?
    2) Then there is NY City, who said that “66% of new hospitalizations in New York for Covid-19 were people who had been staying home. This is a surprise: Overwhelmingly, the people were at home. We thought maybe they were taking public transportation, and we’ve taken special precautions on public transportation, but actually no, because these people were literally at home.” Hmm….
    3) Then there’s the CDC “Recently published data from a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that 70.6% of COVID-19-positive patients report “always” wearing a mask, 14.4% report “often” wearing a mask, and 3.9% report “never” wearing a mask (See Table: Reported use of cloth face covering or mask 14 days before illness onset.)” Which isn’t a surprise because masks are marginally effective in the best case but the people using them were certainly “taking precautions”.
    4) MOST IMPORTANTLY, it ignores that the State of CA shutdown all non-elective surgeries and procedures, which believe it or not, includes cancers screenings (all the while marijuana was an essential service…). This is why you and 8:55 are absolutely incorrect in claiming that the delayed medical procedures last year were (100% as you claim) the result of “people who didn’t follow the shutdown and masking recommendations, flooding hospitals with COVID patients”
    You want to blame someone for this blame the State of CA for shutting down non-emergency medical services. Blame the media for scaring the beejeezes out of everyone so they were too afraid to go to their own doctor.

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  152. quick follow up, those people who were going to gym without masks, those regular gym attendees and athletic folk, they weren’t the ones going to the hospital if/when they got covid. How many fewer covid deaths would there have been had we mandated 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week?

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  153. VOICE – just when I thought you couldn’t lie even further…. “This is why you and 8:55 are absolutely incorrect in claiming that the delayed medical procedures last year were (100% as you claim) the result of “people who didn’t follow the shutdown and masking recommendations, flooding hospitals with COVID patients”
    That is NOT what I said, NOT AT ALL. I said that the statement that most ICU patients were those who didn’t follow restrictions is “100% accurate.” READ. IT. AGAIN. I stand by it.
    Further, you don’t even bother to take into account the cold hard FACT that the majority of ICU patients are UNVACCINATED. By definition, those are the people who don’t follow the recommended precautions. (See again your own favorite source, The Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/23/covid-patients-in-icu-now-almost-all-unvaccinated-says-oxford-scientist).
    You proved, once again, nothing other than you are incapable of simple reading comprehension and an unabashed LIAR.

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  155. It’s right there in the article, HIPPA doesn’t get tossed aside because the governor made a new mandate with temporary emergency powers that he’s hung onto for nearly 2 years:
    The holdouts remain concerned about the privacy of their medical information, said Joe Pisano, an employee relations chief with Human Resources. They are uncomfortable with how much information they are being asked to provide, he explained, as well as its security when it is collected, along with their test results, by an outside testing company and ultimately shared with the California Department of Public Health. There has also been worry raised that the company, which counts a former tech executive among its directors, will attempt to somehow monetize the information

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  156. I think it’s about time to simmer it down a tad instead of ranting on about things that you cannot change. One thing I know about “sales” is that you never/ever/ever/EVER make a “sale” by insulting the customer. In this case the “customer” is each of the LE officers who many here are calling idiots/stupid/selfish/etc. It does not help that those in government in charge of messaging have done such a poor job. Why aren’t the cable/tv news organizations announcing the number of dead at the beginning of each broadcast? They were doing that for a year or so, but then stopped the nightly “death count” …it does not make sense that they stopped doing this as it certainly drove home a point.

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  158. 6:49 – “Why would somebody who signed up to protect the public not even want to ensure that they are not spreading a virus?” Because they don’t give a rat’s butt about the public. There is absolutely NO excuse for this. Refusing to vax and refusing to test while demanding you keep your job and interact with the public in close physical quarters is INEXCUSABLE.

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  159. 8:20 – Explain, exactly, how HIPAA (not HIPPA as I’m sure you know), protects them from taking covid tests?
    “Monetize the information???” What information? “Officer Joe Selfishjerk is negative.” Oooohhhh… yeah better not let that gem get to the Chinese! Who knows what evil plans they’ll develop with the COVID status of the cops? Hahahaha you all are freaking hilarious!

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