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With Vaccine Skeptics in Charge, Covid-Era Lawsuits Are Nowhere Near Over
A wave of COVID-19 pandemic-era lawsuits that previously faced steep odds of success are gaining momentum under the Trump administration. Some courts have become friendlier environments as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overhauls federal health care policies and brings vaccine skepticism into the mainstream.
The outcome could look like restricted access to vaccines, a brand-new approach to the monitoring of side effects, or even poking holes in vaccine makers’ legal protections.
Vaccine-injury attorneys are excitedly discussing how to build new legal strategies that could further shape policy in their favor.
Using a novel approach, lawyers are also creating opportunities for the Trump administration to publicly pick a side in court — and possibly influence legal precedent for years to come.
NYC Workers Fired Over COVID Vaccine Mandate Say They Would Consider Coming Back
John Macari struggled to find work after he lost his job as a lieutenant with the NYPD in early 2022 over his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine. After he opted to retire early instead of taking the shot, Macari moved his family from Staten Island to Florida and started a transportation business. He also launched a podcast, “New York’s Finest: Retired and Unfiltered,” which eventually gained enough of a following to allow him to focus on it full time.
Now, Macari is one of nearly 2,000 city workers who were either fired or left their jobs over the 2021 mandate who could have the opportunity to get their old jobs back after the Adams administration announced a tentative plan to reinstate them. Some of those workers will be speaking at a public hearing on the proposal being held by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services Wednesday.
Macari, who had 18 years on the job when he left, said he doesn’t regret his decision to refuse the vaccine. But he dreams of coming back, even if it means splitting his time between New York and Florida, where he has two children in school. “I would ideally like to finish my career up,” Macari said. “I would like to go out on my own terms.”
VA to Restore Education Benefits Eligibility to Veterans Ousted Under Biden-Era COVID Vaccine Mandate
A major policy shift could restore education benefits to thousands of veterans who were separated from military service for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine during the Biden administration, according to The Department of Veterans Affairs.
The move follows President Donald Trump’s January executive order — Executive Order 14184 — Reinstating Service Members Discharged Under the Military’s COVID Vaccination Mandate. This directed federal agencies to identify service members affected by the former vaccine requirement and to take steps to reinstate or restore certain benefits.
In response, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth went on to instruct military departments to facilitate discharge upgrades for those who were involuntarily separated because they declined the COVID-19 vaccine and received a characterization of service that affected their benefits.
Making Sense of the Religious Exemption Dispute in West Virginia
News From The States reported:
At least five lawsuits are underway in West Virginia challenging the state mandate requiring vaccination of schoolchildren, which permits no religious exemptions. Protection of religion from government intrusion is a fundamentally serious matter, not a culture war issue. But so is the protection of our children against serious and sometimes fatal diseases. What is the way out of this?
School attendance is mandatory for all children aged six to 17, but they must first be immunized against chickenpox, measles, mumps, polio and six other diseases. Medical exemptions are available, but West Virginia is the only state that has never allowed religious exemptions. Four other states have joined West Virginia in the last decade by eliminating religious exemptions. Public polling that shows large bipartisan majorities of West Virginians oppose religious exemptions.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article 3-15 of the West Virginia Constitution prohibit government action that infringes the free exercise of religion. A claim pending in West Virginia federal court alleges that the vaccine mandate violates the Free Exercise Clause. But the U.S. Supreme Court held as early as 1905 that vaccine mandates are constitutional, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond has specifically upheld the West Virginia vaccine mandate against a Free Exercise Clause challenge.
Roblox Begins Asking Tens of Millions of Children to Verify Their Age With a Selfie
Roblox is starting to roll out the mandatory age checks that will require all of its users to submit an ID or scan their face in order to access the platform’s chat features. The updated policy, which the company announced earlier this year, will be enforced first in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands and will expand to all other markets by early next year.
The company also detailed a new “age-based chat” system, which will limit users’ ability to interact with people outside of their age group. After verifying or estimating a user’s age, Roblox will assign them to an age group ranging from nine years and younger to 21 years and older (there are six total age groups). Teens and children will then be limited from connecting with people that aren’t in or close to their estimated age group in in-game chats.
Unlike most social media apps which have a minimum age of 13, Roblox permits much younger children to use its platform. Since most children and many teens don’t have IDs, the company uses “age estimation” tech provided by identity company Persona. The checks, which use video selfies, are conducted within Roblox’s app and the company says that images of users’ faces are immediately deleted after completing the process.
Digital IDs Are Officially Coming to Illinois. Here’s When It Starts, and What’s Changing
Illinois residents will soon be able to use digital IDs and digital driver’s licenses, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’s office confirmed to NBC Chicago’s Kye Martin ahead of an planned announcement from Giannoulias’ office. As the announcement began Tuesday, Giannoulias stood in front of a screen that said “Your ID, now on your iPhone.”
Giannoulias teased the announcement Monday, saying “something big” was coming to Illinois and that it would mark a milestone for residents. A source Monday told Martin that the news would “affect every driver in Illinois.” The announcement comes days after Apple unveiled its new “Digital ID” system for users to add their U.S. passport information to Apple Wallet, which can be scanned at airport readers.
iPhone users will be able to add their driver’s license or state IDs to their Apple Wallet, Martin said, and the IDs will be valid at TSA checkpoints at O’Hare and Midway.
They’ll also be accepted at restaurants and bars, Martin said.
