Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T04:45:30.840Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Legal Challenges Underlying COVID-19 Vaccinations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2021

Abstract

Immunizing hundreds of millions against COVID- 19 through the most extensive national vaccine campaign ever undertaken in the United States has generated significant law and policy challenges.

Type
Columns: Public Health and the Law
Copyright
© 2021 The Author(s)

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

About This Column

James G. Hodge, Jr., J.D., LL.M., serves as the section editor for Public Health and the Law. He is the Peter Kiewit Foundation Professor of Law and Director, Center for Public Health Law and Policy, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University (ASU).

References

Hamby, C. et al., “U.S. Bet Big on Covid Vaccine Manufacturer Even as Problems Mounted,” New York Times, Apr. 6, 2021, available at <https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/us/covid-vaccines-emergent-biosolutions.html> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
Biden, J.R. Jr., National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, Jan. 21, 2021, available at <https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/National-Strategy-for-the-COVID-19-Response-and-Pandemic-Preparedness.pdf> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
Pettypiece, S., “Biden Pushes Americans to Reach Goal of 70 Percent Vaccinated Adults by July 4,” NBC News, June 2, 2021, available at <https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-pushes-americans-reach-goal-70-percent-vaccinated-adults-july-n1269397> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
O’Neill, N., “Biden Administration Sows Confusion Over Vaccine Passports,” New York Post, May 28, 2021, available at <https://nypost.com/2021/05/28/biden-administration-sows-confusion-over-vaccine-passports/> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905).Google Scholar
Piatt, J., “Guidance: COVID-19 Vaccine and Employer Mandates,” Network for Public Health Law, June 3, 2021, available at <https://www.networkforphl.org/resources/guidance-covid-19-vaccine-and-employer-mandates/> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
21 U.S.C.A. § 360bbb-3(e)(1)(A)(ii)(III) (2017).Google Scholar
Stanley-Becker, I., “Resistance to Vaccine Mandates is Building. A Powerful Network is Helping,” Washington Post, May 26, 2021, available at <https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/05/26/vaccine-mandate-litigation-siri-glimstad-ican/> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
EEOC.gov, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws,” May 28, 2021, available at <https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-covid-19-and-ada-rehabilitation-act-and-other-eeo-laws> (last visited June 10, 2021).+(last+visited+June+10,+2021).>Google Scholar
OSHA.gov, Subpart U — COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, available at <https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/covid-19-healthcare-ets-reg-text.pdf> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Gostin, L.O. et al., “Digital Health Passes in the Age of COVID-19: Are ‘Vaccine Passports’ Lawful and Ethical?JAMA 325, no. 19 (2021): 19331934, available at <https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2778526> (last visited June 11, 2021).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Otterman, S., “New York’s Vaccine Passport Could Cost Taxpayers $17 Million,” New York Times, June 9, 2021, available at <https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/nyregion/excelsior-pass-vaccine-passport.html> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Davis, E., “These States Have Banned Vaccine Passports,” U.S. News & World Report, June 1, 2021, available at < https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/which-states-have-banned-vaccine-passports> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Cunningham, P.W., “The Health 202: It’s Fair to be Concerned About Vaccine Passports. But They Wouldn’t Violate HIPAA Law,” Washington Post, Mar. 30, 2021, available at <https://www.washington post.com/politics/2021/03/30/health-202-it-fair-be-concerned-about-vaccine-passports-they-wouldnt-violate-hipaa-law/> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
H.B. 1547, 93rd Gen. Assemb., Reg. Sess. (Ark. 2021).Google Scholar
More, M., “LAUSD’s Student COVID Vaccination Program: What to Know,” NBC Los Angeles, May 23, 2021, available at <https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-resources/lausd-student-covid-vaccination-program-pfizer-coronavirus/2600305/> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Barraza, L. et al., “Immunization Laws and Policies Among U.S. Institutes of Higher Education,” Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 47, no. 2 (2019): 342346, available at <https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-law-medicine-and-ethics/article/immunization-laws-and-policies-among-us-institutes-of-higher-education/C0DA00DB892EC7BA2DE89859496D77BD> (last visited July 28, 2021).Google ScholarPubMed
ACHA.org, “American College Health Association Recommends COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for All On-Campus College Students in Fall 2021,” American College Health Association, Apr. 29, 2021, available at <https://www.acha.org/ACHA/About/ACHA_News/ACHA_Recommends_COVID-19_Vaccination_Requirements_for_Fall_2021.aspx> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Burt, C., “State-by-State Look at Colleges Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines,” University Business, June 10, 2021, available at <https://universitybusiness.com/state-by-state-look-at-colleges-requiring-vaccines/> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
S.B. 1825, 55th Leg., 1st Reg. Sess. (Ariz. 2021).Google Scholar
Singer, N. et al., “COVID-19 Vaccination and Parental Consent,” Kaiser Family Foundation, May 26, 2021, available at <https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/covid-19-vaccination-and-parental-consent/> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Owermohle, S., “Foster and Migrant Kids Shut Out from Covid Vaccinations,” Politico, May 30, 2021, available at <https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/30/migrant-children-coronavirus-vaccine-491412> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Terlep, S., “Covid-19 Shots for Teens Can Hit Legal Snags and Parental Pushback,” Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2021, available at <https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-shots-for-teens-can-hit-legal-snags-and-parental-pushback-11621416603> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Health Officer of the City & County of San Francisco, “Order of the Health Officer No. C19-19, Allowing Minors to Consent to COVID Vaccination,” Apr. 28, 2021, available at <https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/files/Order-C19-19-Vaccination-Minors.pdf> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Gostin, L.O. et al., “The Public Health Crisis of Underimmunisation: A Global Plan of Action,” Lancet Infectious Diseases 20, no. 1 (2020): E11E16, available at <https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/ article/PIIS1473-3099(19)30558-4/fulltext> (last visited June 11, 2021).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Afifi, T.O. et al., “How to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Decrease Vaccine Hesitancy in Young People,” Conversation, May 27, 2021, available at <https://theconversation.com/how-to-increase-covid-19-vaccine-uptake-and-decrease-vaccine-hesitancy-in-young-people-161071> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Piatt, J.L. et al., “When Can You Be Required to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine?” Slate Future Tense, Apr. 5, 2021, available at <https://slate.com/technology/2021/04/covid-vaccination-law-mandates-requirements.html> (last visited June 11, 2021).CrossRef+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Jimenez, J., “Washington State’s Vaccine Incentive: Free Marijuana,” New York Times, June 7, 2021, available at <https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/us/washington-marijuana-covid-vaccine.html> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
See Mervosh, supra note 5.Google Scholar
DeWine, M., “Don’t Roll Your Eyes at Ohio’s Vaccine Lottery,” New York Times, May 26, 2021, available at <https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/opinion/ohio-vaccine-lottery-mike-dewine.html> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Groppe, M., “Federal Government Gives OK for States to Offer Lotteries, Cash Incentives for Vaccinations,” USA Today, May 26, 2021, available at <https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/25/covid-vaccine-feds-ok-lotteries-cash-incentives-vaccinations/7436394002/> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan, “Dollars to Donuts: What Will it Take to Get More of the U.S. Vaccinated Against COVID-19?” Newswise, June 4, 2021, available at <https://www.newswise.com/coronavirus/dollars-to-donuts-what-will-it-take-to-get-more-of-the-u-s-vaccinated-against-covid-19> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Hodge, J.G. Jr., Public Health Law in a Nutshell, 3rd Ed. (West Academic Publishing, 2018): at 89.Google Scholar
NCSL.org, “States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from School Immunization Requirements,” May 30, 2021, available at <https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/school-immunization-exemption-state-laws.aspx> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Whitlow v. California, 203 F. Supp. 3d 1079 (S.D. Cal. 2016).Google Scholar
Roman Cath. Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo , 141 S. Ct. 63 (2020); S. Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom, 141 S. Ct. 716 (2021); Tandon v. Newsom, 141 S. Ct. 1294 (2021).Google Scholar
Boufides, C.H. et al., “FAQ: COVID-19 and Health Data Privacy,” Network for Public Health Law, June 20, 2020, available at <https://www.networkforphl.org/resources/faqs-covid-19-and-health-data-privacy/> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
CDC, “Data Use and Sharing Agreement to Support the United States Government’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Jurisdiction Immunization and Vaccine Administration Data Agreement,” available at <https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/downloads/vaccine-administration-data-agreement.pdf> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Holland, J. et al., “Tracking the Vaccinated by Name, Race Challenges Privacy Laws,” Bloomberg Law, Mar. 3, 2021, available at <https://www.bloomberglaw.com/bloomberglawnews/tech-and-telecom-law/XA00D70O000000?bna_news_filter=tech-and-telecom-law#jcite> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
PHE.gov, “Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act,” Public Health Emergency, Mar. 16, 2021, available at <https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/legal/prepact/Pages/default.aspx> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19, 85 Fed. Reg. 15,198 (Mar. 17, 2020).Google Scholar
HRSA.gov, Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program, Dec. 2020, available at <https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/cicp/cicpfactsheet.pdf> (last visited June 11, 2021).+(last+visited+June+11,+2021).>Google Scholar
Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program: Administrative Implementation, Interim Final Rule, 75 Fed. Reg. 63,656 (Oct. 15, 2010).Google Scholar