July 21, 2021 – A federal judge has ruled that Indiana University can require students and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 after they return to campus for the autumn semester.
Judge Damon R. Leichty of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana said he weighed individual liberty against public health concerns in his decision. The New York Times reported.
Eight students had sued the university and sought an injunction to forestall the enforcement of the vaccination requirement. The students' attorney, James Bopp Jr., told the Just he'll immediately appeal to the US Court of Appeals.
“Here we are dealing with a government that is forcing us to do something we vehemently oppose, and in doing so, our bodies are being interfered with,” said Bopp.
The school announced in May that each one students, faculty and staff would have to be fully vaccinated by August 15 to return for the autumn semester.
A Press release said students who don't receive a vaccine exemption could have their course registrations canceled, lose access to campus email systems and be barred from participating in on-campus activities. Faculty and staff could lose their jobs, the discharge said, adding that working remotely and never meeting the vaccination requirement was “not an option.”
There is the same lawsuit about vaccination requirements at universities in California, Just said.
Mandatory vaccination is being considered for colleges and universities across the country. The Chronicle of Higher Education According to the FDA, 586 schools have already got some type of vaccination requirement, although some schools say the vaccines need full FDA approval.
The vaccines currently being administered within the United States have been granted emergency use authorization, and vaccine manufacturers have applied for full approval.
It could also be difficult to implement mandatory vaccination on campus. The Wall Street Journal reported that states reminiscent of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah have passed laws prohibiting schools and colleges from requiring Covid-19 vaccination or proof of vaccination.