A taxi company on the outskirts of St. Louis banned vaccinated people or masked people from riding in its vehicles, a move that caused strong opposition from some community members.
Charlie Blington, owner of Yo Transportation, Tell KMOV-TV that the company is “very against vaccines.”
According to the company’s website, Yo Transportation provides services to many suburban counties outside of St. Louis, providing transportation services for various daily and special events.
“We are not allowed to wear any type of masks in our vehicles,” Blington told the news station. “We are very opposed to vaccines. We don’t want anyone to get the vaccine in our car.”
According to a KMOV report, Blington said he would confirm whether his passengers would comply with the policy before picking up passengers. He also said that he studied COVID by reading Truth11 and The High Wire articles, and it was reported that both articles spread misinformation about the virus.
The boss of the taxi company said that he thinks masks are “germs catchers.”
Blington said: “Because they think they spread bacteria to us through contact, whether it’s a handshake or touch.”
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Said that vaccine shedding only occurs when the vaccine contains a weakened version of the virus. None of the vaccines approved for use in the United States contain live viruses.
“I know that Missouri is one of the top three states with the lowest vaccination rates, so I am proud that all Missouri people are opposed to this,” Blington said.
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Resident Steven Fletchall told KMOV that he would not use taxi services.
He said: “I think his taxi may be infected with the virus now.” “If he allows people who have not been vaccinated to get in his taxi, I definitely don’t want to get in the car.”
Another KMOV unnamed resident posted on Facebook: “Don’t waste time calling them unless you like to ride in their pink petri dish car and are eager to catch the new crown virus.”
However, some residents agreed with this policy, and Blington said it “inspired all well-meaning people to call” him and expressed their support.
Weekly newspaper Brinton was contacted, but he declined to comment on the grounds that the policy caused a massive influx of calls.
US public health officials insist that vaccinations and wearing masks can help limit the spread of the virus. The CDC calls these vaccines “safe and effective” and advises people, including those who have been vaccinated, to wear masks indoors in “areas with high or high levels of transmission.”
Due to the highly transmitted variant of Delta, the number of COVID-19 cases in Missouri has surged in recent weeks. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the average number of new cases in the state during the seven days on August 6 was 3,560, compared with 1,246 on July 6 a month ago. Only over 42% of people in the state have been fully vaccinated against the virus.
A surge in cases forced a hospital in Springfield, Missouri Expand the capacity of the morgue Because of the increase in deaths.
