Dem senator gets pushback for saying ‘racial justice’ should be ‘number one priority’ in vaccinating people

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Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey said that "racial justice" should be the first priority in vaccinating Americans. 

Many ripped the liberal senator’s tweet, saying that minimizing deaths should be the number one priority. 

"Racial justice must be our number one priority as we distribute the COVID-19 vaccine," the Connecticut Democrat. "Join me live with @SenWarren, @RepPressley, @NikaElugardo, @macurry01, and Rev. Culpepper as we discuss the need for greater equity and accessibility in vaccinations." 

"No, it must not," Fox News’ Guy Benson replied. 

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"Shouldn’t the priority be those most vulnerable to severe illness and even death from COVID?" Fox News’ Brit Hume wrote on Twitter. 

Reports have highlighted racial disparities in bearing the brunt of Covid-19, but older populations and those with underlying conditions are known to face the most severe Covid-19 infection. 

In December, a panel of Centers for Disease Control experts debated whether essential workers should get the vaccine before the elderly in their official recommendation. They ultimately recommended those over age 75 and frontline essential workers be included in Phase 1b. 

In an effort to speed up the vaccination process off to a slow start in most states, the federal government on Jan. 12 encouraged all states to begin vaccinating residents 65 and older, along with those with underlying conditions. 

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The CDC said on Friday that about 42 million people have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and about 17 million have been fully vaccinated.