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The Minnesota Department of Health under Commissioner Jan Malcolm’s leadership has done a tremendous job protecting us from the pandemic. Commissioner Malcolm’s work is highly respected across the country. She is promoting common sense pandemic measures like masking and vaccinations to keep us safe. These measures are proven. We have the right to be safe from being infected by the people we contact. 

The majority of Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are discussing firing Commissioner Malcolm. Republican Senate leader Miller said Commissioner Malcolm’s position is a matter of discussion. Republican Senator Abeler said “I am not defending her anymore. It seems the only language the governor understands is the removal of another Commissioner.” Senator Abeler also claims there were 212 Minnesotans who died from the Covid vaccination. This is false. Vaccinated and unvaccinated people die from numerous causes but not from the Covid vaccination. The death could be caused by an unrelated ailment like a heart attack or cancer or an auto accident. You only need to review the infections, hospitalizations and deaths in Republican states like Texas and Florida to predict what could happen in Minnesota if Minnesota Senate Republicans get their way. The tragedy is that children under 12 are not approved for a vaccine, so they are unprotected against Covid. The children will pay the price for these political games.

Governor Walz’s administration should be focusing on protecting Minnesota’s people from the pandemic and not having to waste effort defending themselves from political games. I wish the Senate Republicans would work to protect us from the pandemic.

Joe Pacovsky   

Hayward