Governor Pritzker claims he worked with labor groups to reach an agreement with some labor organizations on the issue of mandating vaccines. The governor’s latest edict compels workers with the Department of Corrections to receive the COVID vaccine. DOC employees must have their first COVID-19 vaccine by October 14th and the second shot by November 18th. The governor emphasized that “if employees do not receive the vaccine or an exemption by the dates identified, progressive disciplinary measures will be implemented, which may ultimately lead to discharge.” The latest edict also applies to teachers, college students, and most healthcare workers.
Unfortunately, the governor, for whatever reason, did not mandate that DOC inmates be vaccinated. Nor did the governor mandate that State employees on his staff be vaccinated. Perhaps he believes that forcing an inmate or a member of his staff to be vaccinated violates their rights.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Delta variant is waning. We have been living with this pandemic for over 18 months while being preached to ad nauseam about safety procedures and protocols. We do not need a dictator from Springfield telling us how to live our lives. It is time we move on and live our lives without big brother overseeing our every move.