What AOC Has to Say About Her Controversial Vaccination

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among the first to get a COVID-19 vaccination, receiving hers live on Instagram on Friday, per the Independent. As the representative from New York explained, members of Congress "are urged to take it as part of a continuity of governance plan," and she opted to do so and answer questions from followers about the process afterward. The choice was controversial: Even fellow "Squad" member Ilhan Omar came out swinging against lawmakers who opted to receive the vaccine before certain other groups, calling it "shameful," Fox News reports. "We are not more important then [sic] frontline workers, teachers, etc. who are making sacrifices everyday [sic]," she tweeted, announcing she would decline the vaccine for now.

Sen. Rand Paul made similar comments, though he specifically called out AOC in his tweet: "It is inappropriate for me - who has already gotten the virus/has immunity - to get in front of elderly/healthcare workers. Same goes for AOC or any young healthy person. They should be among last, not first." As Business Insider reports, Ocasio-Cortez quickly hit back. "Gee, maybe if the GOP hadn’t spent so much time undermining public faith in science, masks,& COVID itself, I wouldn’t have to weigh the potential misinfo consequences of what wld happen if leaders urged ppl to take a new vaccine that we weren’t taking ourselves! & @ me next time," she tweeted. "Our job is to make sure the vaccine isn’t politicized the way masks were politicized." (More Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stories.)