SNAPPED: Anti-vax protest on Town Square – Buckrail

JACKSON, Wyo. — Jackson residents holding signs and waving American flags gathered on the Town Square this afternoon in protest of federal vaccine mandates and Teton County’s current mask-wearing policy.

Around 15 adults and their children were in attendance. One attendee explained why she felt a potential vaccine mandate would infringe upon her family’s rights.

“A vaccine should be decided between you and your healthcare professional, not with the federal government,” said Jackson resident, Jessie Aufderheide.

While scientific data strongly supports the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, Aufderheide believes that the media has played a role in influencing public opinion regarding the shot.

“I believe that a lot of the studies are being blocked and skewed by mainstream media.”

Another Jackson resident at the protest shared how natural immunity is not as often discussed as the vaccine.

Members from the Mountain Freedom Alliance also participated in today’s protest. They are a local activist group that has adamantly opposed mask mandates in Teton County.

The protest comes after the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 years old. In Teton County, an indoor mask-wearing mandate is in effect until Dec. 31, 2021.

Last week, the Casper Star-Tribune reported that unvaccinated people have accounted for 98% of all new cases in Wyoming since May 1.

Photos: Caroline Chapman // Buckrail