Jeremy Clarkson has clarified that he still thinks people should get vaccinated after facing backlash for his comments about coronavirus.
The former Top Gear presenter came under fire this week after he spoke out against Covid-19 lockdowns and “communist” scientists in a new interview with the Radio Times.
“When it started, I read up on pandemics and they tend to be four years long,” Clarkson said, adding that he believes we should “go through life with our fingers crossed and a smile on our face”.
He continued: “I can see Boris [Johnson] doesn’t want to open it up and shut us back down again. But if it’s going to be four years… and who knows, it could be 40 years. If it’s going to be for ever, let’s open it up and if you die, you die.”
After Clarkson was criticised for his “insensitive” comments, the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host attempted to set the record straight on Twitter yesterday (3 August), as he accused “silly left wing papers” of “s*** stirring”.
“What I said was that ‘IF WE HAVE COVID FOR EVER’ we are just going to have to open stuff up and accept that if we die, we die,” Clarkson wrote.
“If you really want to know what I think: get vaccinated. It’s not a government plot. Governments can’t even mend pot holes.”
While many were sceptical of his original comments, Clarkson’s followers praised his stance on vaccination.
“As simple as that. Get vaccinated, you don’t end up on a ventilator in hospital or worse if you get covid,” one wrote.
“For once I agree with you. This whole conspiracy theory has to stop. The science says it all. It will not track you or poison you. It may very well save your life. Get vaxed !!!!!” another wrote.
