Indiana GOP Lawmakers Pushing Bill With Natural Immunity as a COVID Vaccine Exemption

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Newsweek

Republican Indiana lawmakers want natural immunity to COVID-19 from a previous infection to exempt certain residents from workplace vaccination requirements. The Indiana House, which is dominated by GOP lawmakers, may be able to debate approving the measures as soon as next week after a committee endorsed the bill in a 7-4 vote Thursday.

The contentious proposal has drawn criticism from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and GOP Senate leaders who have said that it hinders the ability of private businesses to make decisions. The idea of using natural immunity instead of vaccines as protection against contracting and transmitting the virus has also been called into question by medical studies.

The bill, which already included required medical or religious exemptions, would force employers to accept medical test results showing some level of infection-generated virus immunity in lieu of vaccination. It would make anyone who was fired for not getting a mandated COVID-19 vaccine eligible for unemployment benefits.

Republican House Majority Leader Matt Lehman said that companies could only ask employees for proof of natural immunity through another medical test once every six months. If COVID fighting antibodies are no longer detected, then "you'll be back and subject to the other exemptions because you can't show that immunity," Lehman said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/indiana-gop-lawmakers-pushing-bill-with-natural-immunity-as-a-covid-vaccine-exemption/ar-AASvGud

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Why should Florida have all the fun when it comes to COVID-19?

[BlueJac]

1. Idiots, Indiana , I get it!

[bahboo]

2. moved from hoosierville to California 15 years ago...

one of the smartest things I've done. Some good folks in the state, but they're woefully outnumbered at present...

[Chicago1980]

3. I wonder what BlueCross would have to say about this?

[Traildogbob]

4. Maybe

After we start filling mass graves with bodies with a front end loader, then torch the mass of flesh to stop the spread they may get a clue. Cover them all and place one massive headstone with a large R on it. The 1918 virus got to the point of mass graves. Maybe Covid would be taken serious if we bled from the mouth, nose, eyes and ears. If that would happen we would know who to avoid.
Let’s outlaw all antibiotics and let God fix all infections as Ron Joneson proposes.

[Mr.Bill]

5. Politicians making medical decisions

works about as well as doctors making political decisions. (Think Rand Paul)

[DBoon]

9. yhey already do that with women's reproductive health

why not for a pandemic?

[AngryOldDem]

20. When this bill was in committee...

Several doctors and nurses spoke out about how dangerous the bill is. (Rachel Maddow played a clip of one doctor’s testimony a few weeks back.) But they were drowned out by flat-earther and anti-vax nutters (some also medical people), who spoke AT LENGTH with enough disinformation to make me puke.

The GA hears what it wants to hear, sees what it wants to see.

[iemanja]

6. Indiana GOP lawmakers pushing mass suicide bill

There. Fixed your headline for you.

[highplainsdem]

7. Insanity.

[Jon King]

8. 2000 more Americans died so far today.

Simply amazing how hard these MAGAs had to work for the virus to still be killing 2000 Americans per day. It literally took epic amounts of hard work convincing people not to get a highly effective and completely free vaccine.

[NullTuples]

10. They can submit whatever they think will catch headlines. Passing it is another matter.

This is all just showmanship - although if it did pass I'm sure that would make them & some of their constituents very happy.

[AngryOldDem]

15. This will pass.

Session started Tuesday and this bill is on the fastest track I’ve ever seen. It’s already been passed out of committee and will be up for a floor vote very soon; then it will go to the Senate.

The Indiana General Assembly listens to no one, is accountable to no one, and has the collective IQ if a rotten grapefruit. The chamber of commerce was opposed to this early on, when the language was much worse, and they watered it down to this piece of shit.

It’s interesting to see the headlines here. You get a story about this, followed by how COVID rates and hospital numbers are the worst they’ve ever been. Of course, this correlation goes right over these chucklefucks’ heads.

Other neat things they want to do this year — repeal gun permits across the board and micromanage what teachers teach in the classroom.

EDIT — Before you ask. Yes, the governor could veto it. But it would be overridden. The relationship between him and the GA has not been good.

[NullTuples]

18. Thanks for the perspective & damn, that's depressing.

[AngryOldDem]

19. The ONLY hope is the Senate waters it down more in committee.

It possibly could go to conference committee if the House objects, where it COULD die. But the GOP really wants this POS, so it’s a fait accompli in some form.

The GOP is killing this state, literally and figuratively. It is indeed depressing, the nonsense that goes on here.

[kimbutgar]

11. Wouldn't it be ironic if that guy got Covid and died before the bill cold be voted on?

[Historic NY]

12. They will never get to natural immunity,

but will increase the cycle of infection and death. Ask Sweden, it didn't work there. This isn't chicken pox, it's a virus that changes with new variants. Antibodies wane overtime .

[orleans]

13. fucking idiots nt

[LittleGirl]

14. oh i see my home state is making the news again, ugh eom

[YP_Yooper]

16. This is where science and human behavior convolute things

Natural immunity is proven to be more effective, durable and broad than vaccines for many reasons discussed on other threads. This is precisely why the CDC recognizes a "super immunity" when someone recovers and gets vaccinated. Especially since vaccines don't help your first line of defense against the virus - the mucosal immune system in your sinuses. (BTW, they are actively working on a vacc nasal spray to boost this immune system in addition to the vacc). This is why omicron can infect the vacc'd and boosted while the vacc protects your innards where the antibodies are.

That said, the REAL threat is that most anti-vacc are also the religious nuts running around with COVID parties who don't care that in search of their immunity, they could end up dead, and those around them can end up dead in the process. The vacc is a simple way to NOT end up dead. This legislation will encourage this BS idea.

Unfortunately, many also think worst case, they get immunity. Best case they go to heaven :/

[Javaman]

17. morons. nt

[NickB79]

21. Make them pay for blood work out of pocket then

How much does antibody testing cost without any insurance picking up the tab?