Matthew McConaughey, who’s vaccinated himself, is against COVID-19 vaccine mandates for young kids.

In an interview with The New York Times, the actor revealed doesn’t agree with having mandates in place for children between the ages of 5 and 11. “I couldn’t mandate having to vaccinate the younger kids,” he stated. “I still want to find out more information.”

While his mum, wife, and oldest child are all also vaccinated against the virus, McConaughey is holding off on sorting shots for his two youngest children. He did insist, though, that he trusts scientists “to do the right thing,” while also dismissing conspiracy theories. “Do I think that there’s any kind of scam or conspiracy theory? No I don’t,” he said.

McConaughey also discussed what he sees as the politicisation of COVID-19 and face masks. “Early on, this whole thing got politicized,” he said. “I thought that should’ve been a quick, easy mandate. It’s a mask, it’s not the vaccine.”

The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has already responded to McConaughey’s comments, telling CNN that “COVID is not harmless in our children.” Murthy also stated the vaccines are “remarkably safe” for kids.

McConaughey has spent 2021 considering the possibility of running for governor of his home state of Texas – as a Hollywood actor who’s become synonymous with Texas, he’d probably stand a strong chance of election. In fact, early polling has him ahead of the state’s current governor, Greg Abbott, for the upcoming 2022 election.

“I’m trying to study what politics is,” he said when asked about his possible political run. “What democracy is and can be. Where we got off track. Are there ways to get back on track?”

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