Healey Doubles Down On Mandatory Vaccination For Public Employees

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey reiterated her call for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for public employees Tuesday during her regular appearance on Boston Public Radio, calling it “just a matter of public safety.”

“Look, you’re there, you’re getting paid by the taxpayer — you have an obligation, whether it’s delivering public health or public safety,” Healey said. “You’re interacting with the public. That’s a part of your job, by definition.”

In some cases, Healey noted, individuals may be exempt from any vaccine requirements due to personal health and religious belief. But she suggested that individuals abstaining on those grounds may effectively forfeit the right to public-sector employment.

“You may have a right to refuse a vaccine,” Healey said. “It may not, though, mean you have a right to a certain job if that job requires you to meet certain standards and qualifications.”

Read more: https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2021/04/27/healey-doubles-down-on-mandatory-vaccination-for-public-employees