Tennessee Passes COVID-19 Natural Immunity Law

Tennessee has passed legislation declaring prior COVID-19 infections, and thus natural immunity, the same as having received a COVID-19 ‘vaccine.’

The bill states, “the immune protection gained from a prior COVID-19 infection is at least as protective against COVID-19 as a COVID-19 vaccine.”

It continues, adding, “there is, therefore, no rational basis to treat individuals who have had a previous COVID-19 infection differently than individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.”

https://twitter.com/leslibless/status/1522276522832416768

In Tennessee….natural immunity is recognized pic.twitter.com/8Fglid8uWj

— Trudy Seivwright MD (@SeivwrightTrudy) April 27, 2022

UncoverDC reported:

The legislation became law on Apr. 29 without Governor Bill Lee’s signature. Gov. Lee intentionally declined to sign the bill, stating in a letter to Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton:

“I write to inform you that I am letting SB 1982 / HB 1871 become law without my signature. Although I agree that individuals with acquired immunity should be treated the same as individuals who are vaccinated against COVID-19, this bill imposes a business mandate, and businesses should be allowed to operate without undue government interference.” 

*Source – UncoverDC*

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Bud Hulsey (R-Kingsport) and Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald), who is a physician. The bill passed the Senate with a vote of 26-5 and the House with a vote of 66-20. 

The bill defines naturally acquired immunity as “an acquired specific immune system response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus [that is] acquired naturally as a result of an individual’s prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

According to the law, natural immunity can be verified by a letter from a licensed physician or documentation from a lab test showing antibody, memory cell, or T cell immunity.

The law states that “a governmental entity, local education agency, or school shall not adopt or enforce a statute, ordinance, rule, policy, or practice arising from COVID-19” that fails to recognize the amendments adopted by the new legislation. And the same stipulations apply to private businesses. Specifically, no measure can be put in place that:

1. Fails to recognize acquired immunity as providing a level of immune protection that is at least as protective as a COVID-19 vaccine. 
2. Treats individuals with acquired immunity differently than individuals who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Read SB 1982/HB 1871 HERE.

Tennessee also passed legislation to make ivermectin available without a prescription.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Signs Bill Making Ivermectin Available Without Prescription