How did we get to a point where we think it’s OK to tell someone what they should do with their body? For the record: I am vaccinated and I always encourage others to do so. But what is the difference between someone choosing to not vaccinate “because of their religion” and just choosing not to vaccinate? Why is one of those OK and the other isn’t?
I vouched for OP - it is a factual description of a relevant current event that is pertinent to civil liberties.<p>IMO the presented argument is valid and well supported scientifically and legally. It will be very interesting to see if this sets any precedent for other institutions.<p><i>> GMU and other universities must stop ignoring science and cease forcing mandatory vaccines on even those with naturally acquired immunity </i><p><i>> Strangely, despite solid scientific evidence, GMU continues to refuse to recognize that Covid-19 vaccination is medically unnecessary for ALL students, faculty, and staff with naturally acquired immunity demonstrated with antibody testing. </i><p><i>> NCLA filed Professor Zywicki’s complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia on August 3, 2021, challenging GMU’s “reopening policy.” </i><p><i>> The policy, announced June 28, requires all faculty and staff members, including those who can demonstrate natural immunity through recovery from a prior Covid-19 infection, to disclose their vaccination status as “a prerequisite for eligibility for any merit pay increases,” unless they obtain a religious or medical exemption. </i><p><i>> On July 22, GMU emailed the policy to students and employees and threatened disciplinary action—including termination of employment—against any who do not comply with the vaccine mandate. </i><p><i>> Prof. Zywicki’s immunologist, Dr. Hooman Noorchashm, has advised him that, based on his personal health and immunity status, it is medically unnecessary to get a Covid-19 vaccine—and that it violates medical ethics to order unnecessary procedures. </i><p><i>> As a result of the exemption it granted, GMU is permitting Prof. Zywicki to remain unvaccinated for medical reasons. </i><p><i>> "Nevertheless, NCLA remains dismayed by GMU’s refusal — along with many other public and private universities and other employers — to recognize that the science establishes beyond any doubt that natural immunity is as robust or more so than vaccine immunity.” </i>
The article does not explicitly note that GMU is a public university, an important detail. If it were private, such a determination would be unfounded on the principal that two entities have the right to enter into a transaction strictly upon mutually and exclusively amenable terms.
I support vaccine mandates (best way to move society past the pandemic), but an exemption for those with healthy immune systems who can prove via an antibody test or previous positive Covid-19 PCR test that they have naturally developed COVID antibodies after surviving an infection makes sense to me.<p>In the 19th century, yellow fever survivors were considered to be “acclimated citizens” who were more eligible for jobs, because the employer didn’t have to worry about them catching and dying of yellow fever. The position has historic precedence and seems to stand up, according to current scientists’ analysis of immunity after covid-19 infection being 80% or greater, similar to the J&J vaccine.
18 months into the pandemic we have a rapidly evolving virus, waning vaccine efficacy, and breakthrough infections common enough to warrant a third booster dose.<p>It would be silly to risk altering one’s broad-based, naturally acquired immunity by taking an unnecessary vaccine dose. Just like no one got a chickenpox vaccine after contracting the disease there is no need to get a COVID vaccine after contracting the disease.
Disappointing, given the evidence that "natural" immunity has been shown to be less effective at producing neutralizing antibodies than many of the vaccines that are available[1]<p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01377-8" rel="nofollow">https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01377-8</a>