Your Liberty is Not a Right to Jeopardize My Health: How a State COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Promotes Health Justice

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again brought the vaccine debate into the national spotlight. Except this time, whether to be vaccinated or not has become widely politicized and the rapid spread of misinformation has led to a deadly game of those who refuse to be vaccinated not only allowing themselves to be susceptible to a deadly virus, but also putting others at risk. In addition to the misinformation and politicization of this issue, the question of constitutionality of such measures is back in the spotlight as potential state vaccine mandates appear to be on the horizon. This paper seeks to identify and make arguments about how state vaccine mandates promote the concept of health justice, are constitutional, and the enactment of such measures actually promote, and not inhibit, personal liberties and freedoms