Pence and Coronavirus: Science, Faith & History Come to the Fore | RealClearPolitics
The fact that he prayed doesn t mean that he didn t listen to the scientists around him, Foxx said. He did. I was there.”
If Mike Pence sought counsel from a higher power before ordering up an evidence-based needle exchange program, who are we to question his approach? added Neal, who considers himself agnostic. His policy decision saved lives, so maybe we should all consider a little more prayer.
That Pence would deliberate wasn t surprising. Instead, his allies argue, it shows that the governor was seriously considering the problem. A staunch social conservative, he had opposed needle exchanges for over a decade while serving in Congress. When there was an emergency, though, Foxx said, and the doctors that he hired told him this was the way to go, he changed his mind.
The number of new HIV cases in Scott County quickly diminished after the program was put in place, and in 2018, the county reported seven new cases, down from 157 three years earlier. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are 423 cases of coronavirus. The death toll has risen to 19.
Pence continues to pray before meetings of the coronavirus task force.