Violet Affleck recently voiced her concerns publicly. On Tuesday, July 9, the 18-year-old daughter of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck spoke at an L.A. County Board of Supervisors meeting during the Public Comment section. The event was documented in a clip shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Identifying herself as “Violet Affleck, Los Angeles resident, first-time voter and 18,” she emphasized the importance of providing masks and high-quality free testing, while opposing mask bans.
“I contracted a post-viral condition in 2019,” Violet revealed during her address at L.A.’s Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration.
“I’m OK now, but I saw firsthand that medicine doesn’t always have answers for the consequences of even minor viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this issue even more.”
The speech was delivered alongside a photo of Violet and her mother, Jennifer Garner, at a White House dinner on December 1, 2022.
Violet also highlighted the impact of long COVID, stating, “One in 10 infections leads to long COVID, a debilitating neurological and cardiovascular illness that can impair people’s ability to work, move, see, and think.”
She emphasized that vulnerable individuals are disproportionately affected.
According to the Mayo Clinic, post-COVID syndrome can manifest as fatigue, worsened symptoms after physical or mental exertion, fever, and respiratory issues such as difficulty breathing and coughing.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings added that post-COVID conditions are prevalent and have resulted in widespread unemployment and billions in lost wages.
In her speech, Violet called for specific measures: “To address the long COVID crisis, I demand mask availability, air filtration, and far-UVC light in government facilities, including jails and detention centers, and mask mandates in county medical facilities.”
She continued, “We must expand the availability of high-quality free tests and treatment, and, most importantly, the county must oppose mask bans for any reason.”
Violet concluded her speech by emphasizing the dangers of mask bans: “They do not make us safer; they endanger vulnerable members of our community and hinder everyone’s ability to participate in Los Angeles together. Thank you,” she said, noting that she graduated on May 30.
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck also share two other children, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12. In a conversation in April 2023, Garner discussed the challenges of parenting, especially with teenagers.
“I just have a huge heart for teenagers,” she expressed. “I love them. I love what they’re going through. I see how hard it is to be a teen right now.”
Garner emphasized the importance of being open-minded and learning alongside her children: “I’m learning as much from them, or more from them, than they’ll ever learn from me,” she shared.
