Navy barred from acting against religious vaccine refusers

By JESSICA GRESKO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge in Texas is barring the Navy from taking action for now against sailors who’ve objected to being vaccinated against COVID-19 on religious grounds. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor had previously issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Navy from disciplining or discharging 35 sailors who sued over the Navy’s vaccine policy while their case played out. On Monday, O’Connor agreed the case could go forward as a class action lawsuit and issued a preliminary injunction covering all 4,000 sailors who’ve objected on religious grounds to being vaccinated. O’Connor said the larger group shared characteristics with those who sued. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last year made vaccinations mandatory for service members.