It’s not the state job to enforce a religion’s rules on its believers, the state is tasked simply with assessing whether the religious objection is sincere. But it removes one tool that would help distinguish between those with sincere religious objections, and those using religion to cover other objections to vaccines.Īdditionally, states cannot refuse an exemption to those whose interpretation differs from their religion’s doctrine regarding vaccination. This makes sense, because the validity of your religious exemption should not depend on belonging to a religion that opposes vaccines. Employers, universities, or states offering religious exemptions cannot limit them to organized religion, because that would discriminate against those with sincere beliefs that are not part of an organized religion.
Sincere beliefs?īut cracking down on the misuse of religious exemptions is quite difficult. This includes: statements from anti-vaccine activists who state publicly that they lied to get religious exemptions surveys on the reasons people do not vaccinate and the fact that most religions do not prohibit vaccines (in fact, many actively encourage or support them). In a previous paper, I pointed out that quite a bit of evidence suggests there is widespread misuse of religious exemptions. You are proposing to take away my right as a parent and for what? To protect other people?” In a recent hearing on a bill to remove Massachusetts’ religious exemption, a witness said that she used the religious exemption, “Not because it goes against my religion, but because I do not believe that it is necessary to put additional chemicals into my child’s body for an illness that she would fully recover from. And without policing, it is easy for those misled by anti-vaccine misinformation to use the religious exemption. The problem is that the same people who eagerly promote anti-vaccine misinformation are just as eager to misuse religion to avoid vaccinating, and have no hesitation or compunction about coaching others to do the same. The government policing people’s religion raises a number of thorny issues. This makes policing religious exemptions to vaccination hard – and rightly so. Religious freedom is a core value in the United States. When it is complete, please upload using the button below.Two major problems with granting religious exemptions to vaccine mandates are that they are very hard to police, and that they are routinely gamed. You will need to complete and sign the appropriate sections.
#Religious exemption vaccination letter download#
If you would like to submit a request to be granted a religious exemption, please download this form. You will have the opportunity to provide supporting materials. If you are not, please provide the religious basis on which you object to COVID-19 immunization. Your religious exemption request should include why you are seeking a religious exemption, the religious principles that guide your objection to immunization, and to indicate whether you are opposed to all immunizations. If you object to immunization because it conflicts with your sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, you may apply for a religious exemption. UMBC is committed to building an inclusive and welcoming campus environment. When it is complete, please upload using the button below. Both you and your physician will need to complete and sign the appropriate sections. If you would like to submit a request to be granted a medical exemption, please download this form.
More information from the CDC is available here. Please keep in mind that the CDC recommends that individuals with most pre-existing conditions receive the vaccine to protect their health and safety. If there is difficulty or delay in obtaining written documentation because of pandemic-related circumstances, an explanation of the difficulty and authorization to speak with the healthcare provider may be provided. Contraindications include a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose or to a component of the COVID-19 vaccine, an immediate allergic reaction of any severity to a previous dose or a known (diagnosed) allergy to any component of the vaccine. Medical Exemptions will be granted to an individual whose physician documents a diagnosis of one of the conditions the CDC considers a contraindication for the COVID-19 vaccination.
Medical and Religious Exemptions that were approved for Fall 2021 or Spring 2022 will continue to apply to upcoming semesters unless you are notified directly. The University will provide medical and religious exemptions to this vaccination mandate, as provided for under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. For the 2022-2023 academic year, UMBC is requiring all residential students remain up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.
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