Despite the way that Fox News anchors seem to vehemently denounce any measures meant to help control and prevent the spread of Covid-19, it would seem that their employer actually sees the value in preventive measures.
A staff memo sent out by Fox Corporation HR Chief Kevin Lord disclosed that more than 90% of their full-time staff are fully vaccinated, according to data collected after requesting that employees report their vaccination status.
The memo also revealed that Fox would be mandating regular testing of unvaccinated employees, and those who refuse to report their vaccination status "in the near future."
"Following our request for employees to upload their vaccination status in our secure system, we are pleased to share that more than 90% of our full-time employees are fully vaccinated."
A screenshot of the memo was shared to Twitter by CNN's Oliver Darcy.
Here\u2019s the full memo from Lord.pic.twitter.com/qmAPJhP6zk— Oliver Darcy (@Oliver Darcy) 1631647228
Lord said that the requirement to report vaccine status and future mandatory testing for the unvaccinated were part of Fox's plan to allow employees to return to working in the office.
"Soon we will introduce another important health and safety measure for access to our facilities — daily COVID testing for the small group of employees who are not vaccinated or who have not provided their vaccination status."
And Media Matters' Matthew Gertz wasted no time in applying the How It Started/How It's Going meme to the whole situation pitting Fox's primetime coverage of President Joe Biden's recent vaccine mandates against the reality of Fox's own corporate policies.
Started Started\n\nStarted Goingpic.twitter.com/UhTcKjYdiI— Matthew Gertz (@Matthew Gertz) 1631645187
Twitter users were quick to call out what many considered sheer hypocrisy.
Let the resignations and walk-outs start NOW. OH, wait. Anyone? ANYONE? Bueller?pic.twitter.com/5dOgWgOVBF— Francie Berens (@Francie Berens) 1631645803
Eagerly looking forward to their daily "Kevin Lord is an authoritarian!" rants.— Jim Douglas (@Jim Douglas) 1631645824
So, if you\u2019re #vaccinated at @FoxNews then you don\u2019t need to get #covid19testing \u2026 seems like a #passport to skip testing\u2026\n\nA \u2026 #VaccinePassportpic.twitter.com/0xAC1OSAIJ— methodicjon (@methodicjon) 1631644533
pic.twitter.com/Cm1Qu7mzeD— Scootr Bumm (@Scootr Bumm) 1631649440
The Difference Between Hypocrisy & Evil:\n\nHYPOCRISY: urging others to recycle their aluminum cans while you secretly don\u2019t recycle your own cans\n\nEVIL: urging others not to get vaccinated while you secretly get vaccinated— RenoSparksCow (@RenoSparksCow) 1631645545
@TuckerCarlson @IngrahamAngle, waiting for you to resign. How dare @FoxNews mandate you be vaccinated, I mean aren\u2019t you SO against OSHA stating the same as @FoxNews in order to keep work places safe? Just asking for your viewers. This memo sounds exactly what Biden stated.— Mary Snavlinmsnavlin (@Mary Snavlinmsnavlin) 1631648007
Fox News is actively spreading anti-vaccine conspiracies, encouraging their audience to not get vaccinated, while they are already vaccinated.— Bob Sampson (@Bob Sampson) 1631645860
Others doubted the validity of the employees' self-reporting.
I don't believe what they say on air. I sure as hell would not take at face any Fox employee's self-reported vaccine status.— Asa Hearthrug (@Asa Hearthrug) 1631646209
While Fox News hosts have avoided coming out and telling people not to get the vaccine, it is not uncommon for them to hint that it is a bad idea.
Tucker Carlson has been especially fond of pushing the idea that the vaccine is ineffective or pointless. Carlson frequently had on guests who spread disinformation about the virus, the vaccine, and all preventive measures on his show since the beginning of the pandemic.
Carlson even went so far as to claim that Dr. Fauci had "created" the pandemic earlier this year.
Here's a clip of "COVID truther" Alex Barenson claiming that the vaccines were "declining in effectiveness very quickly" on Tucker Carlson Tonight earlier this year.
Tucker Carlson hosts COVID truther Alex Barenson to tell viewers that the COVID vaccines are "declining in effectiveness very quickly"pic.twitter.com/t2Ub9IzHGg— nikki mccann ram\u00edrez (@nikki mccann ram\u00edrez) 1626481920
Lots of folks took the opportunity provided by the memo to mock Fox News and its hosts.
Nailed it!— Janet Palmer (@Janet Palmer) 1631645811
I guess they will all stand up for their principles and quit in protest. LOL I crack myself up.— Bee Gutjahr (@Bee Gutjahr) 1631647092
It remains to be seen whether this memo will have any effect on those who use what they see and hear on Fox News as a valid reason to avoid vaccination and other anti-COVID measures. This is far from the first time the network has been called out for demonstrating a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude when it comes to pandemic policies.
