The Madison County Board of Health will hold a special meeting Wednesday to introduce an “anti-forced vaccine resolution.”
The agenda includes the “discussion and approval of a resolution denouncing vaccine mandates, mandatory testing, terminations and exclusions” due to COVID-19 vaccination status.
In a press release provided by Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler, he said the resolution’s process in coming before the board “has been fully transparent.”
Prenzler
It was first passed in a 5-1 vote during the Madison County Health Department Committee meeting on Jan. 7. Jack Minner was the only committee member to vote against it.
Board member Mick Madison introduced the resolution at the Health Department Committee, explaining that while he is pro-vaccine, he is also pro-liberty.
He said the resolution is not intended to be a statement on how individuals are medically treated in regards to COVID-19 but is a set of statements reminding them about citizens’ civil rights.
Madison said the resolution states that the County Board, sitting as the Board of Health, “hereby affirms to its own employees that it will neither impose a vaccine mandate nor require testing of its employees and will defend and protect the rights of its employees if such mandates are imposed upon Madison County by other units of government.”
“I understand physicians want to prevent disease. That’s logical, that’s reasonable,” he said.
“However, that does not override citizens’ rights to do what they feel is right for them,” he added.
He added that choosing to receive the vaccine and choosing not to vaccinate both create risk, and citizens should be able to choose which risk they are willing to take.
Madison also addressed skepticism regarding COVID-19 and why people distrust the government and the medical community.
Madison said they need to be doing a better job at providing thorough, accurate information, establishing trust with the people they serve.
“The first duty of an elected official is to protect liberty,” he said.
Madison’s words were met with a loud applause from the audience.
Board member Doc Holliday said he doesn’t think a mandate is necessary but said people need to “use common sense to do what they need to do.”
“If you lose one person, that’s one person too many,” he said.
Madison responded that people have also died after receiving the vaccine and asked which way they should apply that thought.
Board members present at the Health Department Committee meeting in addition to committee members also discussed how to word the resolution in such a way as to condemn discrimination for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated and to prevent authorities from using COVID-19 testing measures as a way to coerce individuals to receive the vaccine. They ultimately decided to leave it as is and address any concerns about wording during Wednesday's Board of Health meeting.