DeSantis Calls Special Session On COVID-19 Mandates

DeSantis relayed his desire last week to call a Special Session to address vaccine rules implemented both by businesses and the federal government. The Special Session's term will stretch from Monday, Nov. 15, to Friday, Nov. 19.

“Your right to earn a living should not be contingent upon COVID shots,” DeSantis said. “We have somehow gone from 15 days to slow the spread to 3 jabs to keep your job. In Florida, we believe that the decision whether or not to get a COVID shot is a choice based on individual circumstances, so we are litigating against the Biden Administration and will be passing legislation in this Special Session to protect Florida jobs and protect parents’ rights when it comes to masking and quarantines. The health, education, and wellbeing of our children are primarily the responsibility of parents. As long as I am Governor, parents in Florida will play a strong role in determining what their kids are learning and how they’re treated in school.”

DeSantis seeks to pass legislation preventing discimination against the unvaccinated.

“What is not appropriate is to have the federal government come in, blundering into state and local matters, and acting like they have a right to facilitate a local district breaking state law,” DeSantis told reporters this week. “I mean, just think of where that would lead to. And just think if the shoe’s on the other foot how they would feel if there were certain things that were not being done.”

The Governor has also called for unemployment benefits to be facilitated for any employees fired as a result of their vaccination status as well as a means to make whole “employees injured by a COVID-19 vaccination.”

Injury from a COVID-19 vaccination remains a rare side-effect. Vaccination significantly reduces contraction of COVID-19 and reduces the possibility of a severe form of the disease.