Covid-19 Care Provider Shields Remain Strong Despite Scrutiny

As the pandemic raged in early 2020, state officials tried to alleviate health-care providers’ worries over potential liability for injuries caused by events that were largely outside of their control.

The public health emergency officially ended May 11, and the health-care industry is returning to normal, but legal questions about these early-pandemic liability shields are surfacing.

About 30 states and Washington, D.C., had immunity provisions. The federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act also shielded providers from damages arising out of the use of a “covered countermeasure,” such as a vaccine.

Now those measures are coming under court scrutiny. Some ...