Mass Resistance Arises As Washington Makes It Nearly Impossible To Get Vaccine Exemptions
The only ways out of the mandate are via medical or religious exemptions. Inslee’s staff knew there would be resistance, and his staff grew concerned that employees would feign religious objections to be exempt. While a medical exemption would require a doctor’s sign-off, religious exemptions were more challenging to control. So they concocted a plan.
I obtained
a leaked email sent from Kathryn Leathers, general counsel for the Office of the Governor. On August 3, Leathers and staff representing the governor and the attorney general discussed the vaccine mandate.
“Exemptions: medical for sure; and religious (if we have to; if yes, as narrow as possible),” Leathers wrote. Calling the resulting religious exemption “narrow” is an understatement. It is so narrow that it appears to disqualify almost anyone who would apply.
While each department uses its own
forms, there is a common question popping up. Staff are asked whether
“You affirm/agree that you have never received a vaccine or medicine from a health care provider as an adult.”
By this definition, if a doctor or nurse gave you an ointment for a burn you got in the kitchen or an antacid for a stomach ache, you would have to answer in the negative. If that doesn’t automatically disqualify you, agencies ask you to explain your religious convictions further in a supplemental form.
[CLIP]
“The governor was concerned that people would inappropriately try to apply personal or philosophical objections to a religious exemption,” Inslee flack Mike Faulk told me. “It was important to the governor to make sure this was available to people with sincerely held religious beliefs.”