Rockford Sun

Midwest Legal Care founding attorney Austin Scott Davies is urging those opposed to getting the COVID-19 vaccination to make their arguments on the grounds of a legal exemption.

"Anyone with a sincerely held set of moral convictions arising from the belief in and relation to God, or a person with beliefs that are similar to such beliefs but not based on the belief in God, is eligible to use a religious exemption in Illinois if, included in those beliefs, is the belief that a person should not receive a vaccine,” Davies told the Rockford Sun. “Such beliefs can be specific to vaccines that were made by, tested on, or developed with stem cell lines from aborted children. They can also be general in nature, such that accepting any vaccine instead of relying on an immune system is against your belief.”

Davis said he’s convinced every Illinois resident has the right to take such a stance based on their First Amendment rights and long-held state statutes.

“It's important that the description of a sincerely held moral conviction in each exemption be in a person's own words and not copied from a template,” he said. “That makes it harder for it to be attacked on grounds that it is insincere.”

Davies is encouraging vaccine opponents not to be shy about taking a stand for themselves.

“It is important to use such an exemption if you believe that receiving a vaccine goes against your sincerely held moral convictions,” he said. “It is important to note that these vaccines are approved for emergency use only, have known serious side effects, and all three that are used in the United States have been developed from or tested on stem cell lines from aborted babies. When submitting an exemption, be sure to follow the instructions and forms required by employers or schools when submitting an exemption.”