For what it’s worth, Dr. Drew Pinsky is a real doctor. Before he became a media personality, he was even chief resident at a hospital in Pasadena. But like other celebrity docs, like Dr. Phil and poorly received Jeopardy! host Dr. Oz, he has a tendency to traffic in dubious medical claims. Dr. Drew hasn’t handled the pandemic well. He was dragged for comparing it to the flu, only to catch it himself. Now he’s being raked over the coals for saying over-the-top things about so-called “vaccine passports.”
Many in conservative circles have come out against the Biden administration’s suggestion for how to keep Americans safe when not everyone has been vaccinated. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the passports the “mark of the beast,” because of course she did. Dr. Drew doesn’t like them either, though he didn’t make a strong case, and not only because of his loaded language.
These vaccine passports segregate people and strip them of their freedom to travel internationally. Vaccinations are important, and I encourage everyone to get the Covid vaccine, but how would you feel if international travel also required other vaccinations?
— Dr. Drew (@drdrew) April 5, 2021
“These vaccine passports segregate people and strip them of their freedom to travel internationally,” Dr. Drew tweeted. “Vaccinations are important, and I encourage everyone to get the Covid vaccine, but how would you feel if international travel also required other vaccinations?”
For one thing, travel is already severely restricted due to a highly contagious disease. For another, he doesn’t mention that non-vaccinated people are a public health risk. And yet another: vaccines were already required for travel to certain countries before there was a once-in-a-century pandemic.
A lot of people patiently (or not so patiently) explained this last part to the man with the medical degree.
So that “Dr.” before your name is completely ceremonial, right? Because I refuse to believe that an actual medical doctor doesn’t know about required vaccinations for international travel.
— DogDadBod (@DogsDadBod) April 5, 2021
Some international travel does require other vaccinations. Yellow Fever, Polio, meningitis to name just a few. And why shouldn’t they be? Vaccines are safe and effective for the VAST majority of the population. This is a very irresponsible message to be sending to people.
— Cassandra_Paige (@Cassandra0Paige) April 5, 2021
Um … Dr. Drew…? How often do you travel abroad? https://t.co/soo9V9AJcJ https://t.co/XGulzLNO1b
— Joy-Ann Pro-Democracy & Masks Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 5, 2021
Genius, we have literally been doing this for nearly a century.
Where the hell have you been? pic.twitter.com/Qq5qer5TAs
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) April 5, 2021
International travel often DOES require vaccines. Before I went to Kenya, I had to get a yellow fever shot. Before I went to Nicaragua, I needed a Dengue vaccine.
Hell, to get my UAE visa I needed a negative TB & HIV test. Like, aren’t you supposed to be an expert or something?
— nate bowling (the mask goes OVER your nose) (@nate_bowling) April 5, 2021
International travel to certain countries literally already requires vaccinations. Every country requires a passport.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) April 5, 2021
I’d make sure my vaccines were up to date and then hop on my flight…as I’ve done for the last 25 years of travel to countries requiring vaccines. Here’s a list indicating countries that currently do (mostly for yellow fever). I count 124.https://t.co/GU4kSYLFUK
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) April 5, 2021
It often does, you useless twat.
— Evan Handler (@EvanHandler) April 5, 2021
Vaccines are also, as most medical professionals well know, required for other activities as well.
Wait until he finds out you can’t go to college or the military without a crap ton of vaccines.
— preising (@preising) April 5, 2021
Others began putting their trust in other so-called doctors.
Dr. Pepper is more of a doctor than Dr. Drew. Who else? pic.twitter.com/iKvQLQOh3W
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 5, 2021
Here’s a doctor I trust more than Dr. Drew. pic.twitter.com/p6A7WgoosL
— Kimberley Johnson (@AuthorKimberley) April 5, 2021
https://t.co/7Z7SLZ0zLD pic.twitter.com/njaoHD1FVP
— Muppet History (@HistoryMuppet) April 5, 2021
Me, and also this guy https://t.co/kXeUUjQlex pic.twitter.com/TajiddPuyS
— Kevin Gannon (@TheTattooedProf) April 5, 2021
https://t.co/e6ci5ZdMVE pic.twitter.com/8LCHbmrPfP
— Scott Wampler (@ScottWamplerBMD) April 5, 2021
And others (such as, admittedly, this author) Googled whether Dr. Drew is a real doctor.
And once again we all Google “Is Dr. Drew really a doctor?” https://t.co/666AdepwSJ
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) April 5, 2021