COVID Vaccine Mandates Are Ending
Until recently, federal government employees and many state and municipal workers have been required to receive the COVID vaccine as a condition of their continued employment. Such mandates received support in the U.S. and abroad, with public health experts and educators touting the importance of immunization against COVID-related hospitalization and death.
Progress toward understanding the threat of COVID-19, how to protect against infection, and ways to treat people who get sick have been made. The availability of vaccines, the lower numbers of COVID cases, and the forthcoming end to the COVID public health emergency declaration on May 11 have many experts rethinking the vaccine mandates that have been in place.
Lifting of the Mandates
Many experts who supported the original mandates assert that the COVID vaccine has helped save many lives. Furthermore, they argue that requiring the shots was crucial when insufficient numbers of people were getting vaccinated, new variants were emerging, and people near each other indoors were at higher risk.
Most health experts and researchers agree that vaccinating against COVID-19 reduces the risk of contracting the virus or developing severe illnesses that could result in death. As cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to trend downward, many people maintain that vaccine mandates, especially as a condition for employment, have outlived their utility and necessity.
Some experts even claim that continuing to require vaccination proof to keep a job or enter a public space could undermine public health efforts moving forward. They argue that the public could view the requirements as outdated and draconian, decreasing their trust in institutions and health agencies.
In October 2022, the 11th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ruled in favor of an injunction on the mandate for federal government employees and contractors. The Biden Administration is pushing back on a bill going through Congress ending the vaccine requirement for air travelers coming into the U.S., a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation. The House voted in favor of the bill.
Many states and municipalities are joining the effort to lift the vaccine mandates they have had in place. For instance, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently announced that vaccine requirements for Executive Branch employees would expire on May 11, coinciding with the end of the national public health emergency. Many residents welcome the change in a state where about 1,000 non-compliant workers were fired or walked off the job.
Also, New York City is lifting its mandate for municipal employees about a year and a half after it was required. With 96% of city employees vaccinated, along with 80% of New Yorkers, Mayor Eric Adams stated that now is “the right moment for this decision.”
In addition to some states, the U.S. Department of Defense will also see a lifting of the mandate, thanks to Congress overturning the order put in place in 2021. About 8,400 military personnel were discharged for refusing the vaccine, and there are currently no plans to reinstate them after the mandate ends.
What the Vaccine Mandate Ending Will Mean Moving Forward
While various state- and agency-wide COVID vaccine mandates were in effect, many employees affected by the regulations were dismissed or opted to quit for not getting vaccinated. With the forthcoming changes, it remains unclear whether these individuals will be able to return to their positions or be reinstated.
As for the terminated New York City employees, they will be eligible to reapply to their old departments. The Pentagon has clarified that it will not reinstate personnel refusing the vaccine, nor will they receive back pay.
Although COVID vaccination will soon cease to be required in many state offices and federal agencies, experts will continue to strongly recommend vaccination against the virus. For example, the Pentagon will continue to encourage service members and civilian employees to stay updated on their COVID vaccines.
Currently, about 215 million people in the U.S. have received the initial vaccine, and two-thirds of eligible adults have gotten at least one booster shot. However, with the lifting of COVID vaccine mandates and the COVID public emergency declaration ending on May 11, it is possible vaccination rates will drop, allowing COVID variants to spread.
These changes should consider the balance of increased individual freedoms of vaccine-hesitant people against the potential risks of lower vaccination rates. Deciding whether to get the vaccine or a booster should be based on the latest scientific evidence and public health guidance.
According to the CDC, getting vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 is an effective form of protection against the virus. You can check the CDC’s website for the latest vaccine recommendations based on age and health factors.
Research and materials for this article were compiled, written, and distributed on behalf of the National Public Health Information Coalition. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the various authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the National Public Health Information Coalition or its members.
References
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/08/1155330727/new-york-city-vaccine-mandate
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
https://www.science.org/content/article/do-covid-19-vaccine-mandates-still-make-sense
https://www.whitehouse.gov/covidplan/
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html