Ben Carson to Newsmax: Use 'Common Sense' on Kids' COVID Shots

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, also a retired neurosurgeon, Thursday on Newsmax urged "common sense" when considering COVID-19 vaccinations for children under the age of 5, after advisers for the Food and Drug Administration recommended the shots be approved.

"There are some people who are very concerned and they want the vaccine, and I'm glad that it would be available for them," Carson said on Newsmax's "National Report." "The problem I have is, trying to create an environment where you push people into having to have the vaccine."

Instead, Carson said he is "totally for choice" and that it would be "nice to apply a little bit of common sense here as well," considering the chances of a young child facing severe complications or death from COVID is .25%."

"That's approaching zero," said Carson. "We don't know what the long-term complications are of this type of technology. We don't know what's going to happen 5, 10, 15 years down the line. Why would you trade almost zero for not knowing what's going to happen in the future?"

Carson also on Thursday took on the division that has come from the Biden administration against Republicans, including criticisms of an "ultra-MAGA agenda."