With multiple groups of law enforcement and firefighters suing the state of Oregon and Kate Brown over vaccine requirements, things in the state are getting heated.
The Oregon Fraternal Order of Police, alongside state troopers and firefighters, are banding together to sue the state over Governor Brown’s mask and vaccine mandate that would affect all government employees. At least, it was supposed to affect all state government employees.
On Sept. 8, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler confirmed that his city wouldn’t be covered under the order. That’s because, under Oregon law, local municipalities can only mandate vaccines following a federal or state ruling that it is mandatory. The fact stands that Brown did not mandate police officers to be included in the order.
The lawsuit claims that the executive order is “unenforceable and would result in the wrongful termination of employees.” The mandate requires all executive branch state employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, or six weeks after a vaccine has been fully approved by the FDA.
The Pfizer vaccine was approved on Aug. 23 by the FDA, meaning that Oct. 4 is the deadline for state employees to receive their second dose of a vaccine.
Here in Corvallis, most of the emergency response groups were happy to share their vaccination percentages. Corvallis’ EMTs and firefighters both have a vaccination rate of 93%, though both CPD and the Benton County Sheriff’s Department claimed that those numbers aren’t tracked for their organizations.
Governor Brown’s spokesperson, Liz Merah, made this statement to Fox News about the current public health crisis: “Given the seriousness of the situation, employer vaccine requirements have become an important tool, and state government plays a part. It’s critical to protect state workers, workplaces, and facilities, as well as members of the public who use state services.”
By: Ethan Hauck
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