Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom
COVID-19 Mandates, Masks & Vaccines
Where Ohio stands on mandates, masks, and vaccine requirements.
As such, OhioAMF is providing the below information specific to the questions we’re receiving about Covid-19 mandates, masks, and vaccines.
Fauci — then & now On the public record
During COVID-19, Ohioans were told a great deal was “settled science” — and that guidance was used to justify mask mandates, distancing rules, vaccine requirements, and school and workplace policies. In the years since, the public record — sworn congressional testimony, federal-agency findings, and later research — has told a more complicated story. Below is what was said at the time, alongside what the record later showed. We keep it here so the next declared “emergency” is met with questions instead of blind compliance.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said there was “no reason to be walking around with a mask,” and that masks would not provide the protection people thought.— 60 Minutes interview, March 2020
Within weeks, federal guidance reversed to recommend masks for everyone, and many states, schools, and businesses mandated them. Fauci later said the early advice was shaped in part by concern over preserving mask supply for healthcare workers.
Six-foot distancing was enforced in Ohio schools, churches, restaurants, and workplaces — and used to justify closures and capacity limits.
In January 2024 testimony to a U.S. House subcommittee, Fauci said the six-foot guidance “sort of just appeared” and that he was not aware of data behind it.— U.S. House testimony, January 2024
In 2020, the possibility that COVID-19 emerged from a laboratory was widely dismissed in public messaging as a “conspiracy theory.”
The U.S. Department of Energy and the FBI have since assessed a lab-related origin as likely or plausible, and the question remains under active federal investigation.
In 2021, public messaging held that vaccinated people would not carry or spread the virus — a claim used to press vaccine mandates.
Breakthrough infections and transmission among vaccinated people were subsequently documented, and federal guidance was revised to reflect it.
Prior infection was frequently discounted, and mandate policies generally required vaccination regardless of a person’s natural immunity.
A substantial body of research came to recognize durable immunity following prior infection — a factor many one-size-fits-all mandates never credited.
In Senate testimony, Fauci stated that the NIH “has not ever and does not now” fund gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
An October 2021 NIH letter acknowledged that an EcoHealth Alliance subaward supported experiments at the Wuhan institute; how to characterize that work remains disputed.— NIH letter to Congress, October 2021
Entries summarize public statements, sworn testimony, and federal-agency findings, and are kept as a citizen archive — not legal or medical advice. If you believe an entry needs a correction or an added source, email us.
State & local mandates
While the State of Ohio has rolled back many of the emergency and health orders issued by the Governor and the Director of Health, a number of local jurisdictions have maintained and/or enacted new orders. OhioAMF is aware of a number of these orders and there are still some legal challenges that remain in an effort to overturn them and also establish a legal precedence to prevent future such orders.
Aside from legal challenges to these orders, the State Legislature passed Ohio Senate Bill 22, which provides some level of protection for Ohioans from certain emergency / health orders in the future. However, OhioAMF believes that SB22 didn’t go far enough to limit government agencies’ ability to issue such orders in the future. Read more about SB22 here.
Unfortunately, until the legislature passes meaningful legislation to prevent a repeat of 2020, or ongoing litigation plays out in our favor, or the general public practices mass non-compliance, we’re left with the possibility that such overreaching orders will continue into the foreseeable future.
Find more information regarding legislative actions being taken on this issue.
For additional questions, please email us at info@ohioamf.org
Masks Your choice
Ohioans continue to face mask mandates throughout the state. Businesses continue to require them, schools and universities continue to require them, health commissioners and mayors have mandated them in some areas, and some cities have even passed local laws to require them.
Regardless of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of masks, OhioAMF believes that it is an individual’s right to direct their own healthcare decisions without coercion or discrimination. As such, OhioAMF believes that mask mandates in any circumstance are inappropriate.
OhioAMF does not have legal resources to specifically address mask mandates; however, we do encourage individuals who are receiving friction regarding masks to request a religious or medical accommodation, where applicable, as protected by federal civil rights laws.
If an Ohioan believes that they have been discriminated against on the basis of religious or medical circumstances, OhioAMF encourages the individual to contact the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and file a charge/complaint.
Again, unfortunately, until the legislature passes meaningful legislation to prevent mask mandates, or ongoing litigation plays out in our favor, or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission intervenes with entities who are discriminating, or the general public practices mass non-compliance, we’re left with the possibility that such overreaching mandates will continue into the foreseeable future.
Find more information regarding legislative actions being taken on this issue.
For additional questions, please email us at info@ohioamf.org
COVID vaccines — retail settings Not protected by law
Unfortunately, at this time, there isn’t much information OhioAMF can provide to Ohioans regarding vaccine requirements for access to retail settings (stores, athletic games, concerts, etc). Until the legislature passes meaningful legislation to prevent vaccine mandates, or ongoing litigation plays out in our favor, or the general public practices mass non-compliance, we’re left with the possibility that such overreaching mandates will continue into the foreseeable future.
OhioAMF has strongly advocated for the passage of Ohio House Bill 248, which would ensure Ohioans maintain the right to direct their own healthcare decisions regarding vaccination, and maintain their privacy in doing so. Read more about HB248.
For additional questions, please email us at info@ohioamf.org
COVID vaccines — childcare & K-12 Not protected by law
OhioAMF hasn’t yet identified a childcare facility or k-12 school that has mandated the Covid vaccine for their children, but we have seen at least one example of a school district that is considering such a policy. OhioAMF is 100% against Covid vaccination becoming required by any childcare or school in the state of Ohio.
While Ohio law does not currently offer parents the option to opt out of a Covid vaccine for their child in the fashion that parents are accustomed (exemptions to compulsory childhood vaccinations that are defined in state law only apply to the compulsory vaccines that are defined in state law), OhioAMF encourages parents to request a religious or medical accommodation, where applicable, as protected by federal civil rights laws.
If a parent requires assistance formulating a letter requesting a religious or medical accommodation, or has submitted one and it has been denied, OhioAMF is happy to connect you with an attorney who may be able to assist you with your specific situation, simply email info@ohioamf.org with your details and we’ll connect you with the appropriate attorney.
If an Ohioan believes that they have been discriminated against on the basis of religious or medical circumstances, OhioAMF encourages the individual to contact the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and file a charge/complaint.
Unfortunately, until the legislature passes meaningful legislation to prevent vaccine mandates, or ongoing litigation plays out in our favor, or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission intervenes with entities who are discriminating, or the general public practices mass non-compliance, we’re left with the possibility that such overreaching mandates will continue into the foreseeable future.
OhioAMF has strongly advocated for the passage of Ohio House Bill 248, which would ensure Ohioans maintain the right to direct their own healthcare decisions regarding vaccination, and maintain their privacy in doing so. Read more about HB248.
For detailed information regarding such requirements and “exemptions”, read more here.
For additional questions, and/or assistance from an attorney, please email us at info@ohioamf.org
COVID vaccines — college & university Not protected by law
OhioAMF has tracked numerous universities in the state of Ohio who have required Covid-19 vaccination as a requirement of on-campus attendance and/or participation in school activities/events.
While Ohio law does not protect college and university students from their schools mandating that they receive a vaccine, OhioAMF encourages students to request a religious or medical accommodation, where applicable, as protected by federal civil rights laws.
If a student requires assistance formulating a letter requesting a religious or medical accommodation, or has submitted one and it has been denied, OhioAMF is happy to connect you with an attorney who may be able to assist you with your specific situation, simply email info@ohioamf.org with your details and we’ll connect you with the appropriate attorney.
If an Ohioan believes that they have been discriminated against on the basis of religious or medical circumstances, OhioAMF encourages the individual to contact the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and file a charge/complaint.
Unfortunately, until the legislature passes meaningful legislation to prevent vaccine mandates, or ongoing litigation plays out in our favor, or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission intervenes with entities who are discriminating, or the general public practices mass non-compliance, we’re left with the possibility that such overreaching mandates will continue into the foreseeable future.
OhioAMF has strongly advocated for the passage of Ohio House Bill 248, which would ensure Ohioans maintain the right to direct their own healthcare decisions regarding vaccination, and maintain their privacy in doing so. Read more about HB248.
For detailed information regarding such requirements and “exemptions”, read more here.
For additional questions, and/or assistance from an attorney, please email us at info@ohioamf.org
COVID vaccines — the workplace Not protected by law
OhioAMF has tracked numerous employers in the state of Ohio who have required Covid-19 vaccination as a requirement of continued employment and/or benefits, or who have used vaccination status to reward some employees and/or punish others.
While Ohio law does not protect employees from their employers mandating that they receive a vaccine, OhioAMF encourages employees to request a religious or medical accommodation, where applicable, as protected by federal civil rights laws.
If an employee requires assistance formulating a letter requesting a religious or medical accommodation, or has submitted one and it has been denied, OhioAMF is happy to connect you with an attorney who may be able to assist you with your specific situation, simply email info@ohioamf.org with your details and we’ll connect you with the appropriate attorney.
If an Ohioan believes that they have been discriminated against on the basis of religious or medical circumstances, OhioAMF encourages the individual to contact the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and file a charge/complaint.
Unfortunately, until the legislature passes meaningful legislation to prevent vaccine mandates, or ongoing litigation plays out in our favor, or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission intervenes with entities who are discriminating, or the general public practices mass non-compliance, we’re left with the possibility that such overreaching mandates will continue into the foreseeable future.
OhioAMF has strongly advocated for the passage of Ohio House Bill 248, which would ensure Ohioans maintain the right to direct their own healthcare decisions regarding vaccination, and maintain their privacy in doing so. Read more about HB248.
For detailed information regarding such requirements and “exemptions”, read more here.
For additional questions, and/or assistance from an attorney, please email us at info@ohioamf.org
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