On Wednesday, Governor Inslee for workers in education, requiring them to get fully vaccinated by October 18th. That means, if they’re getting the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, they’ll need to have the second shot by no later than October 4th. Everyone is required to get a vaccine, unless they file an exemption form for medical and religious reasons.
There are very few religions that prohibit vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pope is encouraging Catholics to get vaccinated in a recently-released ad campaign. Muslim leaders have declared the vaccine is permitted under Islamic law. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is calling on Mormons to get vaccinated as well, just to name a few examples.
According to a 2013 article written in the medical journal Vaccine, of the major religions practiced in the United States, only Christian Science and the Dutch Reformed Church have somewhat of a negative stance on vaccines, but are not 100% opposed to them.
As the black market grows for fake vaccine cards, a similar market is growing for religious exemption forms from churches. As the Sacramento Bee points out, one California church is posting on Instagram saying that they will begin handing out such forms at their Sunday service, and anyone online wishing to obtain a form should “email the church.”
One of these religious exemption letters we found online (not from a local church) cites the use of cells from aborted fetuses in COVID-19 vaccines as grounds from religious exemptions. While the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine does use fetal cell lines, which were grown from fetuses aborted decades ago, neither Pfizer or Moderna use them.
Regardless, the Catholic Church says that if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the only one available, it is still more morally correct to get the vaccine than to avoid it.
As far as medical exemptions, the CDC says that their data shows all three vaccines are safe for almost everyone despite their current or past medical conditions. The only warning on the CDC website is for people who may have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, but the site goes on to say that with three different vaccines available, there should be an option that is safe for you.
