Are gov’s right to require employees vaccinate/test for COVID?

Bill (No)

Government has no business interfering with the personal health decisions of its citizens. Any COVID-related governmental mandate is a blunt instrument that fails to take into account relevant data about the health risks of COVID, which are localized to those in poor health with compromised immune systems (such as the elderly with multiple existing health conditions classified as co-morbidities like obesity, hypertension, respiratory illness, etc.). In fact, 99.8% of Americans have survived COVID, and that percentage is likely understated because the CDC has recently acknowledged that positive PCR test results failed to effectively distinguish between COVID and influenza. This could mean that many who died since the pandemic may have been incorrectly labeled a COVID-related death.

The government and its mainstream media co-conspirators have consistently misled the public about the risks of COVID. They have peddled it as a dire threat to all Americans when the reality is that nearly a third of the COVID deaths are nursing home-related. They relied on and pushed faulty models to estimate the impact of COVID and failed to identify and publicize the most effective treatments for it (like ivermectin vs. ventilators).

Perhaps most important, the idea that the government is seriously considering mandating vaccines that have already reportedly killed thousands of Americans is perverse and criminal. In addition to the reports of death, the Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting System (VAERS) documents over 34,000 post-vaccine serious complications (with thousands suffering permanent damage) and over 54,000 emergency room visits. With such dismal post-vaccine-related numbers, Americans are right to resist any compulsory government-sponsored vaccine program. Now, more than ever, the 'my body, my choice' standard for healthcare decisions should be a protected right.

Morgan (Yes)

Employers have the right to have certain expectations and protocols, and to require their employees, which they pay, adhere to certain safety standards. In some fields, vaccinations are necessary to keep people safe, such as in the healthcare industry. Requiring vaccinations means fewer employees will become ill, avoiding the detriments of short-staffed hospitals. Required testing will prevent staff and other patients from spreading the virus and keep employee interactions in other industries as safe as possible. Those who don't wish to comply can change jobs/careers rather than risking the health and safety of their coworkers and patients. 

The pandemic is an unprecedented time leaving the country requiring new standards of its citizens. While mandating vaccines and testing may seem like an infringement to some, these steps are crucial in ensuring we stop the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. These new expectations may seem frustrating, but they exist for a reason, and the quicker we comply with them, the faster we can all return to normal life.  

The vaccines and the COVID tests are very safe, and those opposed to getting vaccinated are ignorant of the realities of how helpful the vaccine is. In May of 2021, only 1.1% of the 107,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations were infections in vaccinated people, meaning the vaccine is doing its job. In addition, testing is a fast process that will save lives. The vaccine and the COVID tests are free to everyone, so there is no financial burden placed on citizens outside of simply getting them done.