US Navy Settles COVID Vaccine Lawsuit with SEALs, Sailors

Above: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class John London receives a dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine at Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys on Dec. 29, 2020 in Pyeong. Image copyright: United States Forces Korea/Handout/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

  • The US Navy on Wednesday settled a long-running lawsuit with SEALs and sailors who refused the COVID vaccine on religious grounds.

  • As a part of the agreement, the Navy will erase the record of sailors who declined to comply with the COVID mandate and protect the servicemembers' careers against discrimination on the promotion board.


The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Hesitancy to take up the COVID vaccines was primarily driven by disinformation on how they were developed, including inaccurate information on the use of fetal tissue from abortion procedures. Refusal to obey legal orders eventually affected the military's preparedness, which is why those who refused to be immunized must be punished according to procedures.

Establishment-critical narrative

Navy SEALs and other servicemembers have fought long and hard for this legal victory. It's great to see that those who were guided by their conscience and were steadfast in their faith will finally not be discriminated against by the Navy and not have their decisions held negatively against them.


Metaculus Prediction


Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO