New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) made it clear Wednesday at a town hall event in New Hampshire that he supports mandatory vaccinations.
That position marks a shift from where Christie stood in February, when he said during a trip to London that government must strike a “balance” on vaccinations that allows parents “some measure of choice” in immunizing their children.
The governor stated his position Wednesday in response to a question from a woman who identified herself as a volunteer from the National Vaccine Information Center. The organization is a nonprofit that advocates for conscientious belief exemptions and has pushed the debunked theory that vaccines are linked to autism.
“Could we count on you to support and affirm the human right of voluntary medical risk-taking for all medical procedures, including vaccines?” the woman asked.
“Yeah, no. You can’t count on me for that,” Christie replied to applause from the crowd.
The governor said that while he understands that parents are concerned about their individual children’s health, vaccines are still responsible for protecting the public at large from preventable diseases.
“I cannot be someone who supports voluntary vaccination,” he said. “I think that would be the wrong step for the public health of our country. I understand that there are really well-intentioned people who disagree, but that’s my position on the issue.”
Christie’s original comments on the subject of mandatory vaccinations stirred up a public outcry and turned the subject into an improbable first litmus test for aspiring Republican presidential candidates, who scrambled to voice their support for vaccines.
He’s also come a long way since 2009, when he argued as a gubernatorial candidate that parents opposed to vaccinations needed “a seat at the table” in the debate over government mandates.
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