Houma Representative Beryl Amedee files a series of vaccine-related bills as the Capitol copes with the growing threat of coronavirus.
Amedee says one of the bills mandates healthcare providers provide patients more information about what is in their vaccines, and potential side effects.
“We would want people to be aware that if they began to come down with something or they experience a sudden symptom whether that is a symptom related to the vaccine, or this is something else that is happening,” says Amedee.
The bill would also require providers to inform patients how effective the vaccine is.
Another one of her bills would prevent employers from requiring their employees to be vaccinated. She says this legislation was inspired by complaints she heard from nursing students.
“Whenever they finally are accepted into clinicals it could be the hospital requires that all employees get all vaccines,” says Amedee.
Amedee says she is not sure whether or not the spread of COVID-19 will hurt or help her cause, but she bets it’s certainly drawing some attention to it.
“I’m hoping that the big focus right now on health because of the coronavirus helps to aid in our conversation so that we can move forward more quickly, and I’m hoping that it generates more support for the bills,” says Amedee.
The state has seen six coronavirus cases so far, all in the New Orleans area.
