Missouri Gov. Mike Parson Condemned For Claiming Kids Who Catch Coronavirus at School Will ‘Get Over It’

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Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) faced immense backlash on Monday after he argued children who catch the coronavirus when schools reopen will “get over it.”

In a Friday interview on KFTK with host Marc Cox, Parson said, “There’s data out there, there’s scientific evidence now of who this affects and who it doesn’t, and kids are the least likely to have a problem with this.”

“These kids have got to get back to school. They’re at the lowest risk possible, and if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going to have to sit in doctor’s offices,” he claimed. “They’re going to go home and they’re going to get over it.”

Cox’s comments prompted heavy backlash, with critics calling him “sociopathic,” “irresponsible,” and “Pro death,” as well as pointing out that infected children would spread the virus to their parents, grandparents, and other relatives.

Pro death https://t.co/BQA87i8BMU

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) July 20, 2020

The governor of Missouri sounds like a damn fool. So if a kid goes to school and gets COVID-19, he thinks they will go home and “get over it”? So the parents and other household members won’t also get infected? These Republicans are NUTS. https://t.co/iyWddcN37s

— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) July 20, 2020

What. https://t.co/S5ovKdt98G

— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) July 20, 2020

sociopathic https://t.co/6ME80RgOWQ

— David Sirota (@davidsirota) July 20, 2020

When he says school children will “get over it,” is he referring to the illness — or to deaths of their parents? https://t.co/Wrnh2LVLUU

— Adam Winkler (@adamwinkler) July 20, 2020

What kind of person says this? What is happening? https://t.co/TlxK5ryxNc

— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) July 20, 2020

Simply jaw droppingly irresponsible. https://t.co/TjW2JTFg61

— Jim Davnie (@jdavnie) July 20, 2020

It wasn’t until I read this quote that I realized it’s going to be much longer than I originally thought before Americans will be welcomed as tourists internationally. ? https://t.co/W2lG2vOqv8

— Marshall Harris (@mharrisonair) July 20, 2020

It’s not as important as the fact that this is another governor who hasn’t even tried to keep up with how this pandemic works and spreads, but it’s always funny to be reminded how central the I Should Be Able To Punish Your Kids belief is to GOP politics. https://t.co/0KQi1dtkmT

— David Roth (@david_j_roth) July 20, 2020

The Governor of Missouri does not care about Missourians.

Even if you believe kids should head back to school, the dismissive and uncaring tone here is horrible.

And yes, those kids will go home to their parents and grandparents, etc. https://t.co/fadGKxOTq0

— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) July 20, 2020

.@GovParsonMO has already accepted that your kids and families will be exposed to COVID-19 when schools reopen. But it doesn’t stop there. Teachers, bus drivers, janitors, and so many more are also at risk. We need a plan that keeps every Missourian safe. https://t.co/og1UAmkGC6

— Nicole Galloway (@nicolergalloway) July 20, 2020

missouri kids, of course, live in homes with no parents https://t.co/EUIWTCDpAv

— David Mack (@davidmackau) July 20, 2020

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), however, defended Parson, calling his comments “absolutely correct” and arguing “children are able to withstand COVID-19 much better than the most vulnerable in our population.”

He is absolutely correct. With few exceptions, our children are able to withstand COVID-19 much better than the most vulnerable in our population.

We must not fail our children by refusing to send them back to in-person instruction that is so vital for their development. https://t.co/PnJdC0h9uJ

— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) July 20, 2020