On Friday, former Gov. Robert Bentley announced on social media he received the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Bentley’s announcement had its critics, including CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, who said she was “genuinely confused” as to why the 77-year-old practicing dermatologist would be near the front of the line for the vaccine.
During an interview that aired on Monday’s broadcast of Mobile radio’s FM Talk 106.5, Bentley said he had not asked for favoritism but instead had done so at the behest of the medical association recommendations given his age.
“We were listening for and watching for when we could get our vaccine,” Bentley said on “The Jeff Poor Show.” “We were going by the medical association’s recommendations. They sent us an email — all practicing physicians, especially those above a certain age — but all practicing physicians were sent an email, and it said you need to go ahead and call and make your appointment to have your vaccination done. And so, that’s what we did. We called when it was our time. We didn’t get in front of anybody or didn’t ask for it, other than what the medical association recommended. We did that, and we posted our picture for a number of reasons — the main reason is we are trying to encourage all our patients that are fearful of it is that it is safe and effective, and it’s going to be available. It’s already available to a lot of people, and it’s going to be available soon to everyone. We’re trying to encourage people to do it because when we get a fairly wide immunization of our population, then I think this is what is going to wipe it out.”
Bentley was administered the Pfizer vaccine, which has a two-part dosage. According to the former governor, he anticipates receiving it on January 8 and noted that he had not felt any side effects from the vaccine.
He also said his office might eventually administer the COVID-19 vaccine at his office in Tuscaloosa.
Bentley said he did not know why there was such a backlash to him receiving the vaccine but added that he hoped his decision to get the vaccine would encourage others to do so.
“I don’t know why it gets people so upset,” Bentley added. “They’ve seen me do it. I’m doing it really to encourage patients to do it. But you know, I’ve been practicing medicine for 40 years. And so, me talking about a vaccine and me getting a vaccination to encourage my patients is really what I ought to do.”
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.
