Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bans any COVID-19 vaccine mandates

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued one other government order cracking down on COVID-19 vaccine mandates — this time banning any entity in Texas, together with non-public companies, from requiring vaccinations for workers or clients.

Abbott additionally referred to as on the Legislature to move a legislation with the identical impact. The Legislature is in its third particular legislative session which ends Oct. 19.

Vaccine FAQs

• Who’s eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas?
  

  
  

  
  All people 12 and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas. Children ages 12-17 can get the Pfizer vaccine, however COVID-19 vaccines should not obligatory for Texas college students.
  

• The place can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
  

  
  

  
  State and native well being officers say that vaccine provide is wholesome sufficient to fulfill demand throughout a lot of Texas. Most chain pharmacies and lots of unbiased ones have a prepared provide of the vaccine, which is run free and primarily on a walk-in foundation. Many non-public medical doctors’ places of work even have it. And you may verify present lists of enormous vaccine hubs which can be nonetheless working here.

  Public well being departments even have vaccines. You’ll be able to register with the Texas Public Well being Vaccine Scheduler both online or by phone. And companies or civic organizations can arrange their vaccine clinics to supply it to employers, guests, clients or members.
  

• Ought to I nonetheless get the vaccine if I’ve had COVID-19?
  

  
  

  
  Sure. Medical specialists suggest that individuals who have had COVID-19 ought to nonetheless get the vaccine. If somebody’s therapy included monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, they need to speak to their physician earlier than scheduling a vaccine appointment. The CDC recommends that individuals who acquired these therapies ought to wait 90 days earlier than getting the vaccine.
  

• Is the COVID-19 vaccine protected?
  

  
  

  
  Sure. Well being specialists and public officers broadly agree that the vaccine is protected. The three at the moment accredited vaccine producers — Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — reported their vaccines are 95%, 94% and 72% efficient, respectively, at defending individuals from severe sickness. Whereas no vaccine is with out uncomfortable side effects, scientific trials for Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson present severe reactions are uncommon.
  

• More answers here.

COVID-19 vaccine necessities by authorities businesses, cities, counties and college districts have been already banned by a earlier government order — which is at the moment being fought in courtroom by San Antonio Unbiased College District. The Legislature additionally already handed into legislation a ban on so-called vaccine passports — which might permit companies to require proof of vaccination to obtain service. Nevertheless, Texas had up thus far allowed non-public companies to require vaccines of their very own workers.

The most recent transfer seems to be partly motivated by President Joe Biden’s actions in September that required all employers with greater than 100 employees to be vaccinated or check weekly for the virus. Biden additionally required all federal authorities employees and contractors to get vaccinated, main almost all the most important airways — together with American Airways and Southwest Airways headquartered in Texas — to announce they’d abide by the mandate.

“In yet one more occasion of federal authorities overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many non-public entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, inflicting workforce disruptions that threaten Texas’s continued restoration from the COVID-19 catastrophe,” Abbott stated in his order.

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