Nine unvaccinated teachers and school employees from across Connecticut are suing Governor Ned Lamont over his weekly COVID-19 testing mandate.
Back in September, Lamont issued an executive order that required state employees and anyone working in a school or childcare facility be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing to keep their jobs.
The lawsuit against the governor and his health commissioner is over what the unvaccinated teachers call “burdensome and oppressive” testing schedules and travel expenses. They call the nasal swab tests “highly invasive,” and they claim emotional distress from the stigma that comes with being unvaccinated.
In addition to monetary damages, they seek a declaratory judgment that the mandate was invalid and a stop to its enforcement.
Lamont’s pandemic orders are set to expire on February 15. He asked the Legislature to extend 11 of them, but the mandate for state and school employees is not among them.
