Coronavirus Update 12-2-2021: Repeat after me — anti-vax legislation WILL NOT fix workforce shortages

Meet Rep. Al Cutrona, a first-term member of Ohio's House of Representatives, and a Republican who describes himself as "Pro-Constitution." He's also the primary sponsor of HB 218, a bill that would prohibit any employer or school from mandating any non-approved vaccine that uses mRNA technology, and would further require employers and schools to grant exceptions to vaccine mandates for reasons of medical contraindication, natural immunity, religious convictions, or personal conscience.

According to Rep. Cultrona, this law is needed "to address the crisis that the workforce is struggling," to fix workforce "shortages," and to "bring back jobs."

The problem, however, is that vaccine mandates are not causing The Great Resignation. There are lots of reasons why workers are quitting their jobs in record numbers, but vaccine mandates are not one of them, according to the World Economic Forum.

HB 218 is the last thing we need right now. We are in the midst of another surge of Delta infections in Ohio, with Omicron looming on the horizon. We need to encourage that more people get vaccinated as soon as possible, not pass laws that erect barriers against vaccinations. The right of an employer to mandate vaccinations as a condition of employment has never been in doubt … that is, until 2021 because of the over-politicization of the Covid-19 pandemic. HB 218 will not only fail to fix work shortages, but it will also create more shortages and staffing issues by increasing the likelihood that employees will fall ill with Covid. 

HB 218 is bad policy, and I hope my state comes to its senses before this bill becomes law.