Witness Testimony

Kelcy Travis testified that she was pregnant during much of the COVID-19 period and chose not to receive vaccination, citing concerns about the novelty of the vaccine and waiver language presented to her. She described being unable to attend her child’s recreational activities and stated that her partner received two Moderna doses in order to visit a dying relative. She testified that she felt public health messaging lacked transparency and accountability.
Travis stated that her employment was largely shut down during the pandemic. While eight months pregnant, she obtained new work in a similar field but was unable to accumulate sufficient hours for maternity leave after a vaccine mandate was introduced at the workplace. As a result, she did not qualify for maternity benefits. She also described her partner being laid off, being one day away from eviction, and experiencing significant financial stress.
She further testified that her partner was unable to attend prenatal ultrasounds due to restrictions, and that non-emergent medical and dental appointments for her children were delayed. She homeschooled multiple children out of fear of illness and described emotional and social impacts on her family, including depression and isolation. She stated that normalcy returned only recently and concluded by calling for greater institutional transparency and accountability in future public health responses.