Will the vaccine be mandatory?

[CathyandHeathcliff]

When and if there’s a vaccine, will we all be instructed to have it?
I don’t get the flu jab and never have.

[Harakeke]

I am also questioning why posters here are qualified to assess any vaccine would be untested/unsafe? Unless you are intricately acquainted with the process used to bring a vaccine to the mass market how can you deduce one created faster will be “untested”?

[WakeAndBake]

@harakeke

I assume no-one on this thread is qualified to assess vaccine safety. But we can all discuss and have different opinions on the principles involved, no?

[MoonBaby1]

It would be a massive human rights violation if it was mandatory. I don’t put it past the powers that be to use the current pandemic to usher these sort of laws in whilst we are all panicked.

I’m not anti vax, nor am I blindly accepting a jab for everything either. My dh however is staunchly anti vax. He is worried.

[amymel2016]

How about a no vaccine no ventilator policy? (Obviously excluding those who can’t have the vaccine for medical reasons!)

I can’t believe we’re going through all this and people STILL say they wouldn’t get a vaccine. I’m pregnant and would have it in a heartbeat if it was going to protect me, my baby and others.

[Galleyfm]

I am ex cabin crew, I can't count the number of vaccines I've had and don't keep out of date certificates and records, o not an anti Vaxer. My eldest son is up to date and has had some extra to the school ones due to travel but and here is the thing my husband is allergic to some vaccines and my youngest son had a reaction (we think, not 100% certain as can't be) to the baby jabs, even his paediatrician agreed he shouldn't have further vaccinations. We rely on herd immunity to protect my youngest and eldest. I would like everyone who doesn't have a medical reason to have it (myself included) but allow those who could be hurt by it to be exempt without consequence to services as some posters have suggested.

[Galleyfm]

Protect my husband and youngest not eldest in the above post

[awkwardbuttons]

How about the test subjects for the vaccine are selected from the population by lottery, refusal to participate results in loss of benefits/access to nhs etc.

Good idea?

Why would you do that instead of the current system? If we do that, perhaps you could volunteer for the anti vaxxers by being coughed on by someone with COVID-19?

I note that you didn't answer the rest of my post. How many preventable illnesses will you subject yourself to because you don't trust scientists?

What's worse, a very small risk of a vaccine side effect or the illness itself? From the death rates I think we know the answer.

[awkwardbuttons]

but allow those who could be hurt by it to be exempt without consequence to services as some posters have suggested.

In my case - and I would hope others too - that would go without saying. The vulnerable don't have it because everyone else does. It only works if healthy people don't opt out though.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that people with valid medical reasons for refusing should be excluded from any services.

[BurgerQuean]

There is no prospect of an ‘untested’ vaccine coming on the market. The vaccine will go through the same testing process as any other. That process is just being expedited, and has the benefit of an enormous quantity of funding and international cooperation behind it.

This is a good article explaining what the process is / will be, and how it has been sped up:

www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/why-a-coronavirus-vaccine-takes-over-a-year-to-produce-and-why-that-is-incredibly-fast/

[BelleSausage]

Urgh, they are taking volunteers for vaccine testing. The vaccine is 18 months away because of the rigorous testing process.

For the poster who called mandatory vaccination a ‘human rights violation’. Can I ask which human right is being violated? Because you do know that rights do come with responsibilities, right?

[meditrina]

No vaccine is compulsory at the moment.

I do not think this one should be. As people have (finally) had a shocking reminder of what vaccines actually preventg , uptake will be good (indeed I think there will be supply issues for months, even if they prioritise also no the lines of frontline essential staff / shield group / other key workers / other vulnerable / anyone else

If we need an annual jab (immunity wears off), I do wonder how long there will be adequate compliance

[meditrina]

Human rights and consent to medical treatment:

www.abouthumanrights.co.uk/human-rights-medical-treatment.html

[ludog]

I am hugely in favour of vaccinations for the common good and look at anti vaxxers with a , however there were real, documented issues with the swine flu vaccination resulting in serious long-term health issues for some people www.google.com/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/woman-settles-case-alleging-swine-flu-vaccine-link-to-narcolepsy-1.4088119%3fmode=amp
I would be a bit nervous this time around but on balance will most likely opt to get it.

[slipperywhensparticus]

It wont be untested 🙈

[BelleSausage]

@meditrina

You didn’t actually read the link, did you?


Article 5 – the right to liberty. This Article specifically provides that an individual may lawfully be deprived of liberty in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases or if they are “of unsound mind”;

[awkwardbuttons]

Our human rights are also being violated by lockdown, to be fair.

[tallah]

Ugh. Attention seeking much. Go and die then if you don't want it! A bit of fucking gratitude for those making it would be nice.

[peachgreen]

I am massively pro vaccination and think anti-vaxxers are idiotic and their propoganda should be illegal but I think making any vaccination mandatory is a dangerous precedent. No medical treatment or procedure is currently mandatory as far as I'm aware.

[CherryPavlova]

I’m pretty certain it won’t be mandatory for several reasons - not least cost. It would also require significant changes to the law and national guidance on consent.

I suspect it web akin to flu vaccine with essential workers and those at increased risk offered the vaccine. There will still be Coronavirus circulating but the impact, like seasonal flu, will be lessened significantly.
It’s unlikely to be eradicated because it’s a virus that is invisible on examination and with vague symptoms. It’s difficult to say whether someone has had it or not. Measles is very easy to identify because of classic rash, Kopliks spots, measly eyes etc. They won’t be testing everyone whose had a cold going forward.

[awkwardbuttons]

Preventing access to some public services isn't really the same as making it mandatory but I think that's what people mean when they say that (happy to be corrected though).

It's just recognising the social contract. You take your rights and privileges along with your responsibilities.

[FunTimeSummer]

Another who won't be front of the queue to get it. And for the record we are fully vaccinated inc flu.

[TheClitterati]

As there is no "normal" until we are all either self immune or vaccinated, I expect it will be.

[meditrina]

Yes, of course I read the link!

It describes provision for suspension of certain rights durung a pandemic. It does not say that unconsented medical procedures are in any way acceptable. Breaches of human rights - which unconsented medical treatment is - can (very rarely) be justified legally

So mandating vaccination for this disease would be a breach of human rights, but not necessarily an unjustified one.

The answer will not be black and white; the article shows some of issues that would need to be considered in assess whether the breach can be legally (and ethically) justified. Things like the state of he nation, as well as the effectiveness of the vaccine (reliability in producing inpmmunity, duration of effectiveness) will need to be considered. It would be very wrong to breach human rights without clear benefit

(Also one of the reasons that lockdown only came for many countries after WHO declared pandemic)

[WakeAndBake]

@BelleSausage * Can I ask which human right is being violated?

The right to refuse medical treatment. If you are of sound mind you can say no to blood transfusions, anti-depressants, chemotherapy, surgery, antibiotics even if it would be good for you or save your life. You have the right to say no.

It is a very important principle but from the way you argue I am not surprised if the concept seems new to you.