The CDC is now telling states to prepare for a possible Covid-19 vaccine by November of this year. When we asked the community, “would you take the new Covid-19 vaccine? we received all mixed messages. Some saying yes or no, while others right down the middle saying they’d consider it.
Stephanie Brown, a local resident says, “they’re basically using society as a guinea pig. They’re fast tracking this vaccine. “ Brown a local resident and mom of 5, says she would not take the new Covid-19 vaccine. She says her past history working as a nurse has made her cautious of many vaccines. “I believe in medicine and I believe that it saves lives, however I do know there’s a lot of corruption and there is a lot of darkness in this situation.”
But on the other side, local resident Maranda Harper says she would gladly take the vaccine.
“I would say cool. Let’s do it. Lets do it right now.” Harper says she just wants everyone to go back to living the lives they had prior to the pandemic. “If the solution isn’t a vaccine then i don’t know what it is. Do we stay in quarantine forever? Do we just throw everyone out into the masses and see what happens? I don’t like those.”
And while they are able to choose for now, some are concerned they wont even have an option in the near future. So 23abc reached out to the District Attorney’s office to see the legalities surrounding a mandatory vaccination. We asked, Could the government force this?
“So the answer generally is going to be yes. And the debate about mandatory vaccinations goes all the way back in California to 1890.” Assistant District Attorney, Joseph Kinzel says this is when the smallpox outbreak began. And one student was excluded from school for not having the smallpox vaccine. Kinzel saying that’s when the California Supreme Court held that mandating vaccines was allowable. He says a similar incident happened in 1904. “In a case involving a city that essentially imposed a fine to those that chose not to follow the mandatory smallpox vaccine requirements.“ He says there, the United States Supreme Court held that it is in the power of the legislative bodies. “Whether it’s a city council or a state legislature, or the United States Congress to determine whether vaccines are mandatory or not.
And while some may argue that this is a violation of the free exercise clause of the first amendment, which pertains to religion, Kinzel says its the legislature ultimately that can decide. However, he does say there are other exceptions. “Including with laws, that would allow for people who have medical reasons to not get a vaccine. To be excluded from that requirement.”
But Brown says if this were the case, she would still choose to refuse a vaccine mandated by the state. “I know that there are many many many people that feel the same way. And they’re going to have a fight if they try to mandate any kind of vaccination like that on us. I can guarantee you.”
