(Patrick Semansky/Reuters)
For months, some states have handed down stringent COVID restrictions to houses of worship deemed “nonessential,” leaving those institutions few options save legal recourse to serve their congregations.
Now, the country’s religious communities face an additional challenge. According to a new report from the Napa Legal Institute, 43 states and the District of Columbia are failing to prioritize clergy in their COVID vaccine distribution plans despite federal guidance dictating that they should be deemed essential workers.
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“The First Amendment, public policy, and current administrative guidance clearly require that clergy and faith leaders receive the same protections as other frontline essential workers,” Napa Legal writes in its report on the discrepancy.
Loudoun County began giving the COVID-19 vaccination to its front-line employees Monday, including county Fire and Rescue workers and members of the countyâs Medical Reserve Corps and Health Department.
These employees, identified by the Virginia Department of Health as part of the phase 1a high-priority group, will be receiving the Moderna vaccine, a two-dose series separated by 28 days.
Getting high-priority county workers the Moderna vaccine is the next step of the vaccination process in Loudoun. More than two weeks ago, the first COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Loudoun County hospitals and started to be administered to health care personnel.
At this time, hospitals in Virginia are using the Pfizer vaccine for their workers. Pharmacies that are vaccinating residents of long-term care facilities also are using the Pfizer vaccine because they have deep-freeze capabilities.
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