News
Court finds that government ordered COVID closing satisfies “direct physical injury” trigger for business interruption insurance.
Natural immunity issues (which expand to vaccinated versus non-vaccinated if we get a good vaccine)
The YOLOers vs. Distancers Feud Is Tearing Us Apart | WIRED
Issue Backgrounders to listen to.
Coronavirus Update With Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD – YouTube
Good update on issues such as school opening. Dr. Emanuel is a leading health policy expert and an architect of the Affordable Care Plan.
The Covid Conspiracy Boom on Facebook
Terrific podcast on the crazy stuff on Facebook and how it undermines the efforts to control the pandemic. This is a must listen. I would like to discuss this in class.
Video – Taking Public Health for Granted: Development of the Modern Anti-Vax Movement (Richards)
PowerPoint – Taking Public Health for Granted: Development of the Modern Anti-Vax Movement
Readings
We are going to look at the US Supreme Court cases that relate to vaccinations. This sets the constitutional limit on mandatory vaccinations and school exclusions. I will post a PowerPoint/Video review of vaccine issues before class.
A Historical Review of the State Police Powers and Their Relevance to the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 – Working Draft
Read VII. The Vaccine Cases, starting p. 12.
Jacobson v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905) – Study Guide
This is the main USSC vaccine case. The COVID pandemic courts are citing it more generally as the support for state pandemic control efforts. We are reading the full case because it has become so important. Be prepared to discuss the case.
Zucht v. King et al., 260 U.S. 174 (1922)
This is a short case rejecting a constitutional challenge to a city excluding unvaccinated students from school.
Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158 (1944)
This is the key case finding that child labor laws control over the religious beliefs of parents. It has clear dicta that religious views cannot be used to avoid vaccination.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Sch. v. Morrissey-Berru, 140 S. Ct. 2049 (2020)
Brand new case expanding the ministerial exemption in the 1st Amendment. Scan through this case and figure out if it would change the Zucht or Prince as regards vaccines. What about PPE?
Resource documents
Vaccine information
National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
The Vaccine Injury Table
ADA information
Official EEO Guidance: What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws
The ADA and Face Mask Policies
This is from a disability rights group, so it makes the strongest case for the disability claim. But it is fair and if you scroll down to the Direct Threat section, there is a discussion of this exception to the ADA.
Election information
Louisiana likely to have no coronavirus protocols for the election unless courts step in Elections