One day, it is possible that getting a coronavirus vaccine is more than just a recommendation.
It may, like other vaccines for things like hepatitis, measles and chickenpox, become mandatory. If you want to attend a university, public schools, day care centers, play sports, go to camp, visit your grandparents in a nursing home or even just work in an office, vaccination documentation or a layoff may be necessary.
But that day has not yet come.
“We will not have a mandate that says everyone in the United States needs to get this vaccine,” said Dr. B. Keith English, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. “But we have strategies and that may be mandatory in certain environments.”
Michigan, for example, has a series of vaccines that already require children to receive before entering public schools.
English, who did not plan to visit his 80-year-old parents on vacation due to concerns about the transmission of coronavirus, said he can imagine that vaccines will become mandatory someday for certain jobs or segments of society, such as doctors in medical rooms. emergency or intensive care units.
“I’m not going out and saying, if you don’t want to get the vaccine, you’re fired,” he said. “This is not a good idea. We need ways to persuade people that it is the right thing to do.”
There are still many questions to support a mandate, say some health officials and administrators.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, prepares to receive his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health, Tuesday, De. 22, 2020, in Bethesda, Md. (Associated Press)
Despite assurances that coronavirus vaccines are safe, they are relatively untested compared to the strenuous trials of a decade that preceded the launch of other vaccines. So far, most of the reported side effects are short-lived and minor, such as headaches and arm pain.
If the vaccine is elevated by the FDA in addition to its initial emergency approval for fully licensed, some believe it could create a better basis for the determinations. During a news conference earlier this month, military officials said the vaccine would be “voluntary” for men and women on duty, but “voluntariness may change to mandatory” once the vaccines are licensed by the FDA, the spokesman said. Department of Defense Jonathan Hoffman.
Not only does mandatory vaccination present an ethical dilemma, but it also has legal liability implications.
“I understand the benefits and risks of vaccination and I voluntarily take full responsibility for any reaction that may result,” reads the fine print on the consent form CVS Health plans for patients or staff to sign before receiving the vaccine.
The CDC also created a five-page screening document with questions about health conditions that must be taken into account before receiving a vaccine, such as pregnancy, allergies and other illnesses that can weaken the immune system.
CVS health vaccine efforts at The Reservoir long-term care facility on Friday, December 18, 2020 in Hartford, Connecticut (Scott Eisen / CVS Health via AP Images)CVS Health
CVS expects to coordinate clinics to administer vaccines to nearly 4 million employees and residents at 40,000 long-term care facilities across the country and plans to administer vaccines in stores to up to 25 million residents a month later this year.
As of December 8, nearly 43% of the 10,138 coronavirus-related deaths in Michigan were related to victims in long-term care, including adoption of adults, the elderly or specialist wards.
Although CVS, Walgreen’s and hospitals may be exempt from liability for any negative results resulting from the administration of any of the accelerated vaccines, the situation is a little more subtle for companies or other entities that may want to require vaccination.
The approved coronavirus vaccine uses technology that has never been implemented on such a large scale. Instead of injecting someone with a relatively harmless amount of a virus, which is how traditional vaccines work, the coronavirus vaccines that have been approved use so-called mRNA technology. The scientists identified the peak proteins created by the virus, which doctors then replicate in injections into patients, simulating the attack and thus training the body to respond if it is infiltrated by the authentic coronavirus.
“It is true, said English,“ that we do not have as much experience with these vaccines as we have with live attenuated vaccines such as measles, mumps and rubella, which has existed for decades, but it is also true that researchers have been working on this strategy for at least 20 years . “
Related: How the vaccine works
Steve Federico, the CEO chairman of United Methodist Retirement Communities, which offers long-term care or independent living options to some 6,800 seniors with 1,200 employees in Michigan, said he dubbed the situation between a “legal rock and a difficult place. ”
“There are indications that you can demand this,” he said. “But the risk is, necessarily, if someone has a negative result when receiving the vaccine, we will be responsible for that.
“We can also be held accountable if we do not oblige, not making the environment as safe as possible for our residents and employees.”
During an online meeting of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce this month, Sarah Willey, a Kalamazoo labor lawyer, addressed the issue of vaccination mandates at private companies.
“Based on the information we have so far, it seems likely that employers could choose to impose this,” she said, “but they would have to make certain exemptions based on deficiencies or religious beliefs.”
Michigan health officials have set a goal to vaccinate 70% of the state’s population aged 18 or older.
“Both pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic people with COVID-19 infection can spread the virus to people at high risk for serious illness,” said Dr. English. “COVID-19 vaccines are likely to reduce infection as well as prevent disease, and people who are infected even though they have been immunized are less likely to spread the virus to others.
“Studies are underway to confirm this, but our experience with other vaccines for viral diseases, like the flu, makes this very likely.”
Pharmacy director Patricia O’Connor holds a box and vial of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine at Christ Hospital in Jersey City on Monday, December 21, 2020. (Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal)Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal
Federico said that, as of now, his company is “highly encouraging”, but does not require the vaccine for employees, residents or visitors.
“And we will just have to continue to reevaluate that as we go through the next few months,” he said.
It is a “possibility” that blocking access to unvaccinated visitors “is part of future visitation options,” said Federico.
At the moment, visits to long-term institutions are prohibited, something that will not change until the number of cases begins to decrease.
“But we won’t get there unless the virus disappears, and one of the best measures is to stop it being vaccinated,” said Federico. “We certainly saw it come into our buildings, despite incredible efforts to keep it out.”
Employees go from room to room, unit to unit, meeting with residents to obtain written consent for vaccination or obtain the consent of the attorney.
“There are absolutely (patients and staff) who will not want to participate,” said Federico, but the reluctance seems to be diminishing.
The United Methodist Communities for Retirement sent surveys to 500 employees several weeks ago and only a third said they wanted to receive the vaccine. A uniform mix of the other employees surveyed said “I will not make it at all” or did not have enough information to make a decision, according to Federico.
An updated survey of nearly the same size was sent to employees after approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and an information blitz.
“And it was encouraging because this time 60% said, yes, I want to make it,” said Federico. “Disseminating the information, I think, is making a difference.”
ARCHIVE – In this December 17, 2020 archive photo, the prepared COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine syringes are seen at Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois. Vaccines have historically provided ample protection with little risk, but come with side effects like any other drug. Experts are concerned that with the sheer volume of people expected to receive coronavirus vaccines in the U.S. – more than 200 million – even a successful implementation with relatively few harmful effects could be enough to flood the program. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)AP
Even if a vaccine mandate were supported, Federico said it might not be feasible due to a shortage of staff.
“So it is being discussed and it is certainly something to consider,” he said. “We want to see if we get this initial wave and if we get enough people, we can be in a position to consider that.”
MLive has not confirmed any public university, corporation, hospital or school system that says it plans to institute a vaccine mandate at any time.
“We are strongly encouraging our team members to take it, but we are not forcing it,” said Dr. Adnan Munkarah, executive vice president and clinical director of Henry Ford Health System, as the hospital system prepared to receive its first 4,875 doses. “We respect people’s right to choose and today, when we don’t have enough vaccines and we know that people want to know more and more about the vaccine and its side effects, we want to respect that.
“We believe that it is not just the logistics and operations in relation to the vaccine, but communication, education (and) advocacy will be extremely important.”
Henry Ford Health System is scheduled to receive 4,875 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and has identified 4,700 first-rate employees.
Similarly, Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital is not making it mandatory for all employees to receive the vaccine. Hospital managers are tracking who does not receive, said Sparrow Hospital spokesman John Foren.
“At the moment, we are strongly encouraging caregivers to get the vaccine,” said Foren, “but I have not heard discussions about a mandate.”
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