Will the COVID vaccine be mandatory?

Rainy Day wrote:

Not sure if this has already been discussed, but I won’t be getting a COVID vaccine voluntarily. I don’t get the flu shot. Can the government mandate a vaccine?

I know schools and maybe employers can mandate it since employment is at will. Maybe if I had a major monetary incentive on my health insurance, I would go for it. I’d much rather take my chances in the real world then inject some vaccine that has had less than a year of testing.

In all seriousness, if the powers to be are stupid enough to make it mandatory, which is illegal, there will be a mass resistance. The virtue signaling on masks was already a disaster. If you make it a choice those on the fence will be more willing to come to the table. There is a large part of the country that does not think this virus is a big concern and see this as a massive government overstep. Telling those people you have to get a vaccine is not going to go over well.

If Biden wins I think it will be optional and likely more people will get it and it will not be a big deal. If Trump wins it will be optional except some of the Democratic governors will try to make it a law to have residents or visitors to the state get it and all hell will break loose. If Trump wins the vaccine will be the next divisive hysteria attempt by the Democrats.

How could they enforce it being mandatory? I certainly won't be in line to get it on day 1 but I would eventually get it I think. I could see schools or employers making it a rule at some point though.

Once it's fully tested and safe to use I think everyone should get it, but I would be strongly against the government mandating it. That is too slippery a slope.

There will be a very strong push to make it mandatory in some Democratic led states. The arguments used for the shutdowns & maskwearing will be the same arguments used for the vaccine. “Don’t be so selfish”, “You’re going to kill grandma” “You’re anti science” etc

I do think the push back against a mandatory vaccine will make this whole mask push back look like child’s play though.

No

I know a “vaccine mandate“ is a wet dream for some people.

However, I would be careful what you wish for. If a government can mandate that you take a vaccine, especially for a virus with less than a 1% death rate, in the name of the “common good” or the collective then the government can basically make you do anything it wants moving forward and say it’s for that same “common good” (whatever that particular government defines as common good at that period of time).

I don’t see any way that a vaccine will be mandatory for the public at least for a number of years of getting it right. Even to attend school.

It’s the current president that’s promising a vaccine by Nov 1.

Seems more likely that he would push to make it mandatory based on that.

I can't see anyway they can make a vaccination mandatory. But I could see them making it very difficult to resist. Could they require anyone wanting to fly to get vaccinated? Could/would universities not admit anyone who isn't vaccinated? Could you have to pay hefty surcharge on your health insurance if you aren't vaccinated?

Primo Numero Uno wrote:

If Biden wins I think it will be optional and likely more people will get it and it will not be a big deal. If Trump wins it will be optional except some of the Democratic governors will try to make it a law to have residents or visitors to the state get it and all hell will break loose. If Trump wins the vaccine will be the next divisive hysteria attempt by the Democrats.

Biden and Harris both stated on convention night that they would make 24/7 mask wearing and vaccinations mandatory if they were elected.

energeticlotuseater wrote:

I do think the push back against a mandatory vaccine will make this whole mask push back look like child’s play though.

I certainly hope that's the case and look forward to seeing it.

Star wrote:

It’s the current president that’s promising a vaccine by Nov 1.

Seems more likely that he would push to make it mandatory based on that.

None of them can be trusted.

HRE wrote:

I can't see anyway they can make a vaccination mandatory. But I could see them making it very difficult to resist. Could they require anyone wanting to fly to get vaccinated? Could/would universities not admit anyone who isn't vaccinated? Could you have to pay hefty surcharge on your health insurance if you aren't vaccinated?

Health Passports on the way eventually

Restrictions without proven vaccination

Covid19 stands for:

Certificate of vaccination ID 2019.

Constitutional expert Alan Dershowitz says the government can force you to take a vaccine. I don't think it will need to be made mandatory though.

energeticlotuseater wrote:

There will be a very strong push to make it mandatory in some Democratic led states. The arguments used for the shutdowns & maskwearing will be the same arguments used for the vaccine. “Don’t be so selfish”, “You’re going to kill grandma” “You’re anti science” etc

I do think the push back against a mandatory vaccine will make this whole mask push back look like child’s play though.

Anthony Fauci has bent some of his words over the past seven months so he will not offend the big fat orange fella. Deborah Birx has bent her words more than Fauci to please Trump. Robert Redfield has sold his soul to please Trump in regard to Covid-19 policy. What makes you think Democrats will force you to take a vaxx that will not work? Fauci said it will be 60% effect. Some points better than a coin toss. I do not consider a 60% vaxx that one will need to take every year like a flu shot worth it. Dems won't be the ones pushing it. If big fat orange fella wins, he will be the one making said vaxx mandatory.

Hardloper wrote:

Constitutional expert Alan Dershowitz says the government can force you to take a vaccine. I don't think it will need to be made mandatory though.

Yeap...he basically says if the vaccines are determined to be "safe & effective," the government can mandate a person take it...no choice! ? Interesting debate with Dershowitz & investigative journalist Del Bigtree:

Re: mandatory vaccine

If a Covid vaccine becomes mandatory, then I think the ones who issue the law/mandate a should be the first to take it. That’s only logical, right? If they believe in it so much, then they should gladly and willingly lead by example and get vaccinated first. If the politicians, “scientists”, and vax-zealots get the vaccine and are good, then we know the thing is safe. If they get the vaccine and it turns out poorly for them, well, then the country (a.k.a. the people they serve) will be safe.

Finally something that isn’t a zero-sum game. This one’s a win-win.

Might be right. I wouldn’t put it past the fat orange man- he’s a politician and will do what he thinks will win him an election.

However, Trumps base voters are more likely to be anti-vaccine and COVID skeptical so aback me mandate could back fire on him.

I *think* some vaccinations are already mandatory for school. I'm not sure on that. I know a friend of mine tried to avoid some vaccinations for her daughter and was basically unable to do so.

As far as a COVID 19 vaccination is concerned, it could be mandatory for school and college, but I doubt if it could go beyond that.

The elephant in the room is that very few people are going to take the vaccination anyway. Only 37% of adults take the flu shot AND the percentage is going down each year recently instead of up. I doubt if more than 20% of adults will get the COVID 19 vaccination, at least for the first year that it's out. You have the "I took the flu shot and got the flu so never again" crowd, the anti-vaxxer crowd, the "I never get the flu so I'm not getting the shot" crowd, and those who just can't be bothered with getting a shot or are fatalistic "if I get it I get it". To those groups, you can add the new "it's the Trump vaccine" crowd and the "it's been rushed to market without proper long term testing" crowd.

I doubt if the vaccination rate will be more than 1 in 5 adults, excluding those who must take it involuntarily.

Heck, the vaccines aren't even being tested against the real virus. They're just being tested to show the creation of antibodies. We don't know how long antibodies will last. It could only be a matter of weeks. We also don't know with certainty if they will prevent COVID in the average (read that as sedentary, overweight, and deficient in many vitamins) person.