As COVID-19 vaccine mandates rise, religious exemptions grow

By COLLEEN LONG and ANDREW DEMILLO
Associated Press

Religious objections were once used only sparingly around the country to get exempted from various required vaccines. But they are becoming a much more widely used loophole against the COVID-19 shot. About 2,600 Los Angeles Police Department employees are citing religious objections to try to get out of the required COVID-19 vaccination. In Washington state, hundreds of state workers are seeking similar exemptions. And an Arkansas hospital has been swamped with so many such requests from employees that it is apparently calling their bluff.