Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 8/24/21
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Montana is the only state that has banned vaccine requirements. The article has been corrected to specify that Montana is the only state that has banned vaccine requirements for employees.
While many companies across the country have begun requiring the vaccine in order to return to work, Montana remains the only state to take a different approach and ban vaccine requirements for employees. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise once more, the law has undergone scrutiny. A number of Montana health professionals, including Dr. Pamela Cutler, president of the Montana Medical Association, are speaking out against a law signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte that prohibits vaccine passports in the state of Montana. “This is against everything we’ve ever known or believed about public health,” Cutler told the Associated Press. Brooke Stroyke, a spokesperson for Gianforte, defended the action. “While the governor continues to encourage Montanans to receive safe and effective vaccines, doing so is voluntary and no individual should face discrimination based on vaccination status,” Stroyke said.
