Some 50 Detroit health workers have filed a lawsuit against a hospital system, alleging that their next term against the COVID-19 vaccine violates the protection of the 14th Amendment to “Personal Autonomy and Body Integrity.”
Why it’s important: This is the second major legal test on vaccination warrants in the healthcare sector, after a failed lawsuit claiming the policy of a Texas hospital requiring vaccination of the virus to all staff against the virus was illegal.
Leading the news: The lawsuit against Henry Ford Health System cites unverified reports from the CDC’s Adverse Vaccine Event Reporting System (VAERS), which states that more than 13,000 people vaccinated in the U.S. have died from the virus and more than 30,000 people they have been left with permanent disabilities and life-threatening events.
Note: The lawsuit, filed Monday, does not mention a July 21 CDC website update that states that reports of deaths “after COVID-19 vaccination are rare,” with only 6,207 deaths recorded as of December 14. 2020 to July 19, 2021, after 369 million doses administered.
- “The FDA requires health care providers to report any deaths after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, although it is unclear whether the vaccine was the cause,” the CDC states.
What they say: A Henry Ford Health System spokesman said in an email statement on Tuesday: “We are confident that vaccination is the most powerful tool we all have against the COVID-19 pandemic.
- “Beyond that, we can’t comment on pending litigation.”
What to see: The hospital system’s vaccine requirement will take effect Friday.