BILL INTRODUCED IN ALBANY
Salka Proposal Would Let
Citizens Refuse Vaccines
Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, today announced introducing a bill, A.11172, that would allow individuals to decide whether or not they want to receive COVID-19 vaccine.
Salka, who represents Oneonta, Cooperstown and Richfield Springs, introduced the bill in response to recent proposals that would make the. COVID-19 vaccine mandatory.
In a statement, Salka said, “Since the introduction of this bill was made public we have received overwhelming support throughout the state from those who wish to make their own decision regarding whether or not to receive this vaccination, and we stand behind them!”
“We believe individuals have the right to self-determination when it comes to their healthcare, and that self-determination gives them the right to decide if they want a medical procedure, and in this case it should be a voluntary decision whether or not to receive the vaccine.”
According to the bill memo, the legislation “Prohibits a mandatory immunization against the coronavirus unless a person chooses to be vaccinated; gives legal guardians of children and incapacitated persons the right to choose to vaccinate or not.”
Grandstanding harmful to public health
Salka is not serving his constituents by promoting anti-vax conspiracies. We need to get vaccinated so our communities can return to normal. Spreading anti-vax nonsense will cost lives. Our assemblyman should do better
I agree 100% with you. Everyone who is able to receive it, should. We need to eradicate COVID.
I stand with John Salka! We are adults and should have the right to choose! No one should be able to tell you how or what to do with your own body! I thought we still lived in America!
Assemblyman Salka is a model leader of New York in protecting citizens’ rights to choose whether or not to participate in an experimental medical procedure. To do otherwise would be against the Nuremberg Code-a model of ethics. To mandate a vaccine not proven to stop transmission is insanity.
Thank you Assemblyman Salka for taking a stand. Where there is risk there must be choice. Thank you for protecting my ability to practice my religion. Thank you for protecting the ability to say no to unwanted medical procedures. Thank you for protecting doctor/patient relationships, for protecting our ability to assess our personal risk and make a personal choice regarding our own bodies. May there be many brave servants of the people who follow in your footsteps.
Thank You, Assemblyman Salka! Please push forward with this bill! I fully support!
Great. The shot is not mandatory so his proposal is a waste of energy. He might better find a way to help local business which may not survive. I’ll assume Salka will pay for folks who get sick from no vaccine!
This is NOT an anti-vax conspiracy, it is merely respecting a person’s right to choose. Mandating the vaccination infringes on the individual’s rights to make an informed decision for himself / herself.
This has nothing to do with antivax.. This has everything to do with giving healthcare choices back to the individuals!!!
Already running for next term, peoples heath and safety should come first. Pick some other nonsense.
This is America! We have freedom of choice! Where did “my body my choice” go?
We must have the right to choose if we want the vaccine or not!!!
Please keep fighting for our Constitutional rights, Mr. Salka!
Are we still in America, Toto? Not sure why anyone thinks they should have a right to force another person to take a vaccine for a virus that has a 99.5% recovery rate. Thank you John Salka & good luck getting this through our commie, liberal state assembly. Glad to see I voted for someone that still thinks freedom to choose is an unalienable right.
Misinformation and mistrust are two distinct things. The latter is somewhat understandable. Misinformation is something a GOOD leader can do something about. Clearly, Salka is not this kind of leader. Salka is not helpful for ridding ourselves of this terrible killer!
Once again, Salka does the politically advantageous thing rather than what is best for public health. As a former public health ‘professional’, he ought to know better. Very selfish. Shame!
God forbid people decide what to put into their own bodies. Or does my body my choice not apply here? Fully support this bill. Everyone has a unique need and right to decide what is best for them and their health.
My body, my choice. Period. End of story. Nearly died some years ago after a flu vaccine and haven’t had one since. Those who want mine can have it. See? There I am, thinking of others and NOT forcing conspiracy theories on anyone. And neither is Salka.
Salka’s bill is based on the false premise that this is a question of an individual’s health. It is an issue involving public health, because someone who refuses to be inoculated may become a coronavirus carrier and may represent a health hazard to others in the community. No one has a right to infect others with a communicable disease.
In this situation I cannot see how this is about health choice unless we’re talking about the choice of all. To not vaccinate is like not wearing a mask, or not wearing pants. It’s a PUBLIC health risk.
As a nurse who worked in the hospital for many years, there was never a question that patients always had a right to refuse any procedure or medication. Why there would have to be legislation for this is a mystery to me. Just attention seeking on the part of Salka.
I honestly am surprised at how many people thing that they have a right to dictate what goes into another person’s body. This is ever the trouble of liberalism: the “good” of the collective always above the “good” of the individual, which ends in mediocrity for all. I’m not getting this vaccine regardless of whether or not it’s mandated. I’ve fought long and hard for my health and I’m not putting it in jeopardy. And it’s offensive to laugh off people’s concerns by classifying them as anti-vax. I would love to see some of this liberal tolerance everyone talks about…you simply don’t know what someone else is experiencing and WHY they will refuse the vaccine. Instead of acting like they’re a leper and like they’re horrible people for “endangering” the collective. Do you not believe vaccines work? If you have a vaccine and I don’t, doesn’t your vaccine protect you anyways? It’s really disconcerting to see the element of control that suddenly individuals think they have over each other’s bodies. I want YOU to have the right and choice to this vaccine as equally as I have the right and choice not to receive it. Can we all just take a few steps back and see each other as individual humans again? Humanity is showing a pretty awful, intolerant, controlling, polarizing side this year. This bill stands for your right to choose. You don’t have any right over another human’s body and neither do I. The collective is important, yes. But individuals make up the collective. Let’s find gentleness with each other again. We’re all doing the best we can connecting with our individual needs this year. I respect and honor yours. Please do the same with mine.
This is no different than the vaccines that are required for children to attend school. We pass laws to help protect each other and not help spread disease. What if someone works in health care? Don’t you think they should be required to get a vaccine. There will be many employers who will want to make sure that their employees are not spreading Covid. Don’t you think they should be allowed to make the choice for their business and not have an employee throw your law in their face?
Seat belts are required by law for the safety of all. Thus is no different.
If you are going to represent us, do it with knowledge and sensitivity and not be a bully.
Well for the people who think everyone should get the vaccine a few things to keep in mind, the flu vaccine is only 40% effective and not everyone gets it. What are the long & short term side effects. What about different strains of COVID? And lastly let’s not forget about thalidomide and it’s side effects. What’s next forcing unwed pregnant women to have an abortion? My body , my choice.
I believe this is still America and it’s our right to choose whether or not to add something to our bodies especially when we don’t know all the side affects because it is new and barley tested not to mention these leader that think they can dictate what we put in our bodies!! John Salka is a man who is trying to protect our rights as American and those of you that can’t see it just shock me!!! Thank you John you have our support!!!
Kudos to you Assemblyman Salka for standing by your constituents. This is America. Land of the free. No one should be forced to inject anything into their body against their will. Freedom of choice! Anyone that wants a vaccine feel free its your body. But don’t tell me I have to inject poison into my body to make you feel safe.
As American citizens it is out right to choose how we live our lives. Your health is not my responsibility. Individuals are responsible for their own health. I applaud Mr. Salka for speaking on behalf of those of us that the world wishes to silence. No vaccine should be mandated. No health procedure should ever be mandated. If you wish to be vaccinated then do so. And you shouldn’t have anything to worry about, right? The flu shot is not mandated for example. You will never completely eradicate a VIRUS. It has already mutated… We live in the most Free country in the world. I prefer to keep it that way.
People have the right to not get vaccinated. If they so choose, then their employers can show them the door, they can be barred from sporting events, from air travel, if students then from school, and essentially they can go about their lives with “my freedumbs”, but make no mistake, they can, will, and should be treated like pariahs.
“Every person has the inalienable right to bodily integrity, free from any threat of compulsion that the person accepts any medical intervention, including immunization. No person may be discriminated against for refusal to accept an unwanted medical intervention, including immunization.” This statement applies for every single human being, regardless of where you choose to live and I believe it needs to be loud and clear everywhere. Where there’s risk there must be choice.
Having a choice should be respected, however it is having NOT to receive the COVID vaccine is being met with disapproval. Employers can fire you for your choice, traveling could be hindered for choice and admittance in social events, schools and hospitals. People have the choice to smoke cigarettes even though countless studies show the health risk. How is it possible to give people the choice not to get vaccinated then punished them for making their choice. Hypocrisy……..