Arizona Gov. Overrides State University’s Rule Forcing Students to Get Vaccine
Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey shot down a forced vaccination policy for students at Arizona State University, leaving the school with egg on its face. forcing students to vaccinate
The latest version of the University COVID policy was published on June 14 and said in part:
Once vaccinated, students should upload proof of vaccination to their ASU Health Portal. ASU will accept all COVID-19 vaccines that are approved by the World Health Organization or a national regulatory agency. Students who are unable to be vaccinated for any reason or who do not agree to share their vaccination status will be required to participate in ongoing COVID-19 health management protocols.
Unvaccinated students or those who do not share their status will be required to:
√ Submit a daily health check.
√ Participate in up to twice weekly COVID-19 testing.
√ Wear face covers in all indoor and outdoor spaces on ASU campuses.
√ Submit a daily health check.
√ Participate in COVID-19 testing.
√ Wear face coverings indoors or outdoors, unless otherwise directed.
Any student may continue to wear face covers if they wish, and everyone is encouraged to wear face covers in crowded areas and venues.
It took only one day for Gov. Ducey to say, not so fast, buckaroo.
Ducey notified constituents on Twitter that the university would not be allowed to force all students to take the coronavirus vaccination. In one tweet, Ducey said that vaccines are a “choice — not a requirement.” He then followed that up, citing the executive order on the vaccine that he had just issued.
“Under the Executive Order, students cannot be mandated to take the COVID-19 vaccine or submit COVID-19 vaccination documents. Students also cannot be mandated to be tested or wear masks in order to participate in learning,” Ducey tweeted.
Ducey’s executive order shut down the school’s vaccine or else policy.
Governor Ducey explained further:
I am neither a doctor nor have I ever played one during my career as a stage actor, but It seems to me that the only people who can be hurt by not taking a vaccine are the people who don’t take the vaccine. Therefore if someone doesn’t want a vaccine, the only people non-vaccinators can hurt are themselves. If it was government (or a state school’s) role to protect people from themselves, then cigarettes would be banned, as would be watching Geraldo Rivera on Fox or anyone on MSNBC,
But despite the hard work of the socialists running the Democratic Party, this is still a free country. Therefore Gov. Ducey is correct. Taking or not taking a COVID-19 is a personal choice.