Forest Flashbacks: Dan Forest Calls to Reopen Schools Without Safety Precautions and Lift Mask Mandate, Fact-Checked for Spreading Misinformation (Again)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, September 18, 2020
CONTACT: Liz Doherty

RALEIGH — Forest Flashbacks aims to provide a snapshot of Dan Forest’s week in review. Here are the toplines from this week:

Cooper for NC Releases Statement on Forest’s Call to Reopen Schools Now With No Safety Precautions, Lift Mask Mandate

At a press conference, Forest called to reopen schools immediately with no safety precautions and lift the mask mandate.
When Forest was asked if kids or teachers should wear masks in schools, Forest replied, “I don’t think so, no, I don’t think there’s any science that backs that up.” He also said that the state did not need any sort of guidelines for reopening.
Cooper for NC released the following statement: “Dan Forest is promising to put students, teachers and families in harm’s way immediately without any safety precautions because he cares more about politics than people. His dangerous plans and spread of misinformation, especially his insistence that masks don’t work, would set us back in our fight against COVID.”

New Cooper for NC Video Highlights Forest Prioritizing Politics over Science

Cooper for NC released a new video highlighting Forest’s reckless call to lift the mask mandate and reopen schools immediately with no safety precautions.
Forest refuses to listen to science and data, prioritizing politics over the health and safety of North Carolinians.

Forest’s Claim That Flu is ‘17 Times’ More Dangerous than Coronavirus to Kids is “Mostly False”

Forest claimed that kids were “17 times” more likely to have “ill effects” from the flu than coronavirus. Politifact rates this claim “mostly false,” and said his claim “downplays the risks of COVID-19.”
This isn’t the first time that Forest has spread misinformation about the pandemic. In July, Politifact gave a “false” rating to Forest’s reckless claim “masks do not work with viruses.”

Cooper for NC Releases New Spot: Forest Will “Get You Sick” and Leave You With the Bill

Cooper for NC released a new spot, “Get You Sick,” highlighting Forest’s dangerous indoor campaign events and his continued opposition to Medicaid expansion.
During the pandemic, Forest has held many indoor campaign events without mask wearing or social distancing.
Medicaid expansion would provide health care coverage to over half a million North Carolinians, create 40,000 jobs, boost the economy by $4 billion, and benefit rural hospitals at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

Cooper for NC Releases New Spot “Grace” Highlighting Need for Medicaid Expansion

Cooper for NC released a new spot, “Grace,” highlighting the urgent need for Medicaid expansion, which would provide health care coverage to over half a million North Carolinians, including those who have lost their insurance during the pandemic.
39 states, red and blue, have expanded Medicaid. Even Mike Pence expanded Medicaid when he was governor of Indiana. In North Carolina, Republican legislative leaders and Dan Forest have blocked Medicaid expansion at every turn.