The New York Times

Faith, Freedom, Fear: Rural America’s COVID Vaccine Skeptics

GREENEVILLE, Tenn.— “So, have you gotten the vaccine yet?” The question, a friendly greeting to Betty Smith, the pastor’s wife, lingered in the air as the four church women sat down for their regular Tuesday coffee and conversation at Ingles Market. Smith hesitated, sensing a chilly blast of judgment from a never-mask, never-vax companion. She fumbled through a nonreply. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Recalling the moment later, she sighed, “We were there to get to know each other better, but the first thing on the table was the COVID vaccine.” The subject