Iowa Bill Banning Employer Vaccine Mandates Advances

Employers may not be able to mandate vaccines due to a bill moving through the state.

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As the law currently stands, employers can require employees be get vaccinated for COVID-19, with some exceptions. According to KCRG-TV9, there's a bill moving in the state that would ban employers from mandating COVID vaccines. Supporters believe that getting vaccinated is a personal choice and that "people should not be strong-armed into doing what others think is best for everyone else." Those against this bill and pushing for the vaccinations such as the Iowa Public Health Association, UnityPoint Health, the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, and the Iowa Retail Federation think that it's "irresponsible" to not require vaccinations.

The bill that is advancing in the Iowa statehouse, will include those working in healthcare, will create an exemption from required school immunizations, and will "prohibits discrimination based on someone’s vaccine status."

Iowa’s state epidemiologist Doctor Caitlin Pedati discussed public health officials concern stating that exemptions create "pockets of under-vaccinated or unvaccinated populations, which can lead to the spread of infectious diseases like measles, which is exactly what we saw in 2019.” The bill will face a full committee Thursday.

What do you think of the bill? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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