Amendment appeases most haters of vaccine mandate exemption bill in Nebraska Legislature |
COVID vaccination in young children, stalls in the United States. NBC News reports that pediatricians in the United States are alarmed at how slowly young children are getting a coronavirus vaccine. As the Omicron variant spreads like wildfire, the country has hit new highs in COVID-related pediatric hospitalizations. In the two months since Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was approved for children aged 5 to 11, only 27% received at least one dose. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 18% of them received two. Health officials say childhood vaccination rates differ by region of the United States. A recent analysis shows that nearly 50% of children ages 5 to 11 in Vermont are fully immunized. According to NBC News, less than 10% of children ages 5 to 11 have received two doses in nine southern states. You have these large swaths of vulnerable children going to school. , Dr. Samir Shah, director of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, via NBC News. Experts say they are concerned that states with lower vaccination rates “may be less likely to require masking or distancing…”. One of the issues we’ve had is this perception that children aren’t at risk of serious illness from this virus. , dr. Yvonne Maldonado, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, via NBC News. This is obviously not true. , Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, via NBC News
Working at a Catholic-owned hospital, Carleen Barger didn’t expect a problem when she cited religious beliefs as the reason she refused a COVID-19 vaccination.
But the veteran nurse found her beliefs under scrutiny as hospital officials weighed whether she was eligible for a religious exemption to a federal mandate that healthcare workers get vaccinated.
“By the grace of God, this was approved,” she told state lawmakers Thursday, adding, “It was such a moral assault.”
Debra Chappelear, a social worker at an Omaha long-term care facility, has yet to find out if her request for a religious exemption will be approved after being questioned at length about her beliefs.
She knows a colleague whose application has already been denied, she said, as she and others are in limbo. They face the February 14 deadline to begin the vaccination process or be kicked out of the workplace.
“It’s very stressful to have your work and your beliefs challenged,” she said. “We are all very worried that we will all be turned down.”
The two were among several people who testified in support of Legislative Bill 906, introduced by State Senator Ben Hansen of Blair and named as his priority for the year.
The measure, as introduced, would allow employees to be exempted from a vaccination mandate by filling out a form produced by the state and declaring that they refused the vaccine because of their “strong belief or moral conviction, ethical or philosophical.
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Earlier Thursday, Hansen introduced an amendment that would make several changes in response to various concerns raised over the past three weeks.
The amendment would cover virtually all employers, not just those with 20 or more employees. This would only apply to the COVID-19 vaccine, not all vaccine mandates. It would provide for medical exemptions, with a written statement from a physician or other health care provider.
And it would require employers to grant exemptions to people who declare on a state form that the vaccine conflicts with their “sincere religious belief, practice, or observance.”
Hansen said the language of the religious belief amendment, unlike the broader language of the original bill, aligns with federal law. Under either version, he noted, employers could require unvaccinated workers to be tested regularly and wear masks or other protective gear.
Dr. Gary Anthone, Nebraska’s chief medical officer, testified in support of the amendment, while noting that the state Department of Health and Human Services strongly supports COVID-19 vaccines. He said testing and mask requirements were important to ensure employees could be in the workplace safely.
Allie French of Nebraskans Against Government Overreach also supported the amendment, despite fears that it would “trade one freedom for another”. She said her group disagreed with allowing employers to make medical decisions for employees, such as through vaccination mandates, and was concerned about allowing employers to mandate masks and protective clothing. tests.
The amendment was sufficient to satisfy most potential opposition. Nebraska Hospital Association; the Nebraska Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes and assisted living facilities; and the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln Chambers of Commerce took neutral positions on the bill.
Dr. David Watts of Omaha, president of the Nebraska Medical Association, spoke against the bill, even with the amendment.
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He said the organization disputes the idea of involving the Legislative Assembly in the management of private businesses, which include clinics and medical practices. While the amendment would not prohibit employers from requiring vaccinations, it would interfere with how those requirements are implemented.
He said members were also worried about setting a precedent for future public health crises.