NE Tarrant News

Amid the resurgence of COVID-19 mandates and vaccine requirements, Texas leaders are raising their voices in defense of medical freedom, challenging the reimplementation of COVID-related restrictions. On Aug. 24, Rep. Brian Harrison denounced the return of such mandates, shedding light on the failure of his proposed Texas COVID Vaccine Freedom Act, as the debate between personal liberties and public safety gains momentum.

"Almost every single #txlege Republican – in both chambers – supports the Texas COVID Vaccine Freedom Act. Why did the House Calendars Committee kill it? Why are they allowing unvaccinated Texans to be fired? Texans deserve answers," Harrison tweeted.

As COVID-19 mandates and vaccine requirements resurface in various parts of the U.S., Texan leaders are advocating for a ban on such measures within the state. Universities like Morris Brown College and Rutgers University have reintroduced COVID-related mandates, prompting discussions about personal liberties versus public safety, The Dallas Express reported. Texans for Vaccine Choice founder Michelle Evans underlined that similar requirements persist in Texas, calling for medical liberty to be addressed in the upcoming special session scheduled for October.

For instance, Southwestern University in Georgetown maintains its stance, stating that "COVID-19 vaccinations are mandatory for all students before they arrive on campus. While not obligatory, we strongly advise all students to consider getting booster shots," according to a Texans for Vaccine Choice tweet.

Harrison acknowledged the accuracy of Evans' statement that "Texas still has COVID mandates," and he further noted that legislative efforts to prohibit these mandates were obstructed during the recent session.

In response, Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) shared her perspective, stating, "I personally know individuals in healthcare who lost their jobs due to not receiving a COVID shot." She expressed concern about the shortage of healthcare workers available for patient care and voiced her support for ending COVID shot mandates in Texas, emphasizing the practicality of such a move and expressing hope for its realization.       

During the recent 88th Legislative Session, Harrison introduced a bill aimed at preventing institutions from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations, a measure co-sponsored by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston). The proposed legislation aimed to safeguard Texans' authority to provide or withhold consent for medical treatments. Despite gaining approval in the Senate, the bill faced an unfortunate demise in the House, as the Calendars Committee postponed its consideration, ultimately leading to the session's conclusion without a vote.

Several other state representatives have joined the chorus in favor of prohibiting vaccine mandates. Rep. Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth) expressed his stance, saying, "It is UNACCEPTABLE that Texas has not banned vaccine mandates, and we MUST GET IT DONE in a special session!"

In a 2021 article published in Scientific American, Lawrence Gostin, who holds positions as a professor of medicine at Georgetown University, professor of public health at Johns Hopkins University and director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law, advocated for such directives. Gostin asserts that, according to his perspective, no one should have the entitlement to enter a crowded classroom or workplace without following necessary measures like wearing masks and being vaccinated.