In a letter address to Interim Oregon OSHA Administrator Julie Love and Department of Consumer and Business services Director Director Andrew Stolfi the Senate Republican Caucus has requested that "Oregon OSHA wait until all legal challenges are resolved to implement the rules." Oregon OSHA is organized under the umbrella of DCBS.

The letter, which says that "We do not believe the government should be mandating medical procedures. We believe it is an extreme overreach of government authority and a violation of Oregonian’s and America’s freedoms."

The current state of the pandemic does not warrant this kind of government overreach. Law and logic would demand evidence that the vaccine being mandated prevents the spread of the disease. OSHA, being in charge of workplace safety, would need to show that the vaccine would stop transmission in the workplace. For the current variant, there is no such evidence. Thus, the vaccine mandate is not substantially related to OSHA’s mission.

Because of high vaccination rates and the widespread availability of vaccines, the virus no longer poses the threat it once did. According to the Director of Oregon Health Authority, Patrick Allen, people are 50% to 70% less likely to be hospitalized by the current variant than previous variants. COVID-19 now has a similar risk to seasonal flu, a virus we do not mandate vaccinations for.

In concluding, the Senators "recommend that your agency not substantially change the language that has been given to you by the federal government. Virology and immunology do not change from state to state. Oregonians should be confident that there is a constant standard across all 50 states."

Nine members of the Senate Republican Caucus signed the letter. Senator Chuck Thomsen (R-Hood River) did not sign the letter. He is not running for re-election.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-11 15:07:36

Last Update: 2022-01-11 16:29:01