疫苗強制與宗教豁免──淺析疫情下美國社會的法政策挑戰【本期企劃】 試閱
Religious Exemptions of Vaccine Mandates: A Short Analysis of Legal and Political Challenges of American Society amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19疫情自爆發以來，普遍疫苗施打被視為重要的防疫措施。美國雖然已盡速通過疫苗緊急授權並展開施打，但至2022年1月中，施打完兩劑占人口比例為63%，只在世界排62名。許多論者將此一現象歸咎於美國長年的反疫苗運動、反智傳統，以及各州大多承認「宗教豁免」對抗疫苗強制令的制度。本文綜合公共衛生、社會研究調查與法律政策觀點，簡要分析疫苗宗教豁免（尤其在這次疫情中）對美國的社會與法制挑戰，以及此挑戰所啟示如何更精緻衡平公共衛生與人權保障的方向。
Increasing vaccine coverage has been considered a critical measure to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. While the federal government launched a vaccination program shortly after its emergency use authorization of vaccines, the vaccine coverage of the United States is 63% that only ranks 62th around the world by mid-January, 2022. This relatively low coverage is commonly attributed to the anti-vaccine movements, and anti-intellectualism in the U.S. history, and religious exemption of vaccine mandates recognized by most state and federal laws. From a perspective of public health law and social research, this article analyzes how religious exemption challenges U.S. legal system and society (especially amidst this pandemic), as well as to explores a more sophisticated balance between public health needs and human rights protections.
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