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Federal law does not prohibit public authorities and private companies from requesting COVID-19 vaccines that are subject to emergency approval, the Justice Department concluded in a statement.
Three major government agencies – the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, California and New York City – announced Monday that some or all of their government employees will need to be vaccinated or tested weekly. The vaccines are still awaiting full approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO RESPONSIBLE COVID VACCINES FOR HEALTH WORKERS, FIRST SUCH MANDATE FOR A FEDERAL OFFICE
“With access to the COVID-19 vaccines widespread, numerous educational institutions, employers, and other institutions in the United States have announced that they will be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, enrollment, participation, or other benefit , service, relationship or access, “the DOJ legal adviser wrote in a statement.” For example, certain schools require vaccinations to allow students to attend classes in person and certain employers require vaccination as a condition of employment.
The opinion notes that some have questioned whether such companies can legitimately impose such requirements.
In the statement, the DOJ Office of Legal Counsel says the Emergency Authorization Act (EUAs) “does not prohibit public or private entities from imposing vaccine requirements, even if the only vaccines available are those approved under EEA.”
The VA was the first federal government agency to announce that employees who come into contact with patients must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS COVID VACCINES ARE “COLLECTING” AFTER THE CONCERNS OF THE DELTA VARIANT
Last week, during a press conference at the White House, press secretary Jen Psaki suggested that every White House official should be offered a COVID-19 vaccine, but made it clear on Friday that the White House does not require vaccination from officials.
“No, we didn’t make it mandatory,” Psaki replied after being asked if the government was ordering White House staff to have a coronavirus vaccine.
Psaki did not provide an exact number of how many White House officials were vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, but said they can track the number of people on the President’s staff because “they are being vaccinated here at the White House medical unit. ”
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Fox News’ Jake Gibson and David Spunt contributed to this report.
