President Joe Biden made a bold move this week, stating that he supports mandatory vaccinations for U.S. military members as the Coronavirus pandemic stretches on.
The Commander-in-Chief of the United States military said Monday, “I strongly support Secretary Austin’s message to the Force today on the Department of Defense’s plan to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccinations for our service members not later than mid-September. These vaccines will save lives. Period. They are safe. They are effective.”
While that may all be true the concern still stands that the president is working outside the constitution and may well be forcing the military to violate its members constitutional AND human rights by forcing the vaccine. His hesitation can even be sensed in some of his verbiage:
“I am proud that our military women and men will continue to help lead the charge in the fight against this pandemic, as they so often do, by setting the example of keeping their fellow Americans safe,” Biden said.
Nice words and all, but that’s not the fight that military members signed up to be part of. Sure they’re willing to pick up a gun (or F-16) and die for their country. They didn’t sign up to be part of a medical experiment, however. Biden and many in the top brass of the military are plenty old enough to remember the devastation of projects like Agent Orange, as well as the promises that this type of experimentation would never be done on my military ever again.
Even if we blow right past the effectiveness of the vaccines on the market today, or the growing liberal argument that it’s “my body my choice,” and we skip straight to the constitution, just a few short months ago there was no question that this could not be made mandatory for the United States Armed Forces.
CBS4 News and MSN reported in March of this year exactly why this was a problem when the report stated that ever since the FDA granted its emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 vaccines, whether or not to make them mandatory has been a big issue.
Currently, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson are all taking advantage of that emergency use authorization and are putting out their products under an emergency use authorization. That, in and of itself, prohibits anyone from being forced to take it, under federal law, until the vaccines are licensed.
But don’t take my word for it. UF Health infectious disease expert, Dr. Kartik Cherabuddi weighed in, saying that the steps the vaccines have to take to be licensed have not yet been fully realized:
“Step one is going to be learning about safety of the vaccine in all age groups and in all conditions,” said Cherabuddi. “Two would be understanding that vaccines prevent spread of infection as well.”
Only after the proper steps have been taken can institutions like schools or businesses even consider making vaccines a requirement, and even at that, it’s a tricky subject legally, taking into account laws like HIPPA. However, Dr. Cherabuddi said he believes these vaccines will be licensed soon.
To be clear: no one would detur someone who wished to take part in a medical study they felt was best for their health. In fact, it’s highly encouraged and part of what helps medicine propel forward. But just like I would be arrested and prosecuted if I wheeled someone into a medical testing facility while tied up in a wheelchair, while they clearly didn’t consent, it’s also against the law to mandate that those whose lives and careers depend on the military get an experimental treatment they don’t consent to.
