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COVID Vaccine Mandate Should be Supported
COVID-19 is arguably the biggest emergency of the decade and vaccines have been developed to address the problem. With vaccines being the best chance at fighting COVID, the federal government has established several mandates to ensure public safety by ensuring all eligible people are vaccinated. Federal mandates on COVID vaccines have been an issue of much controversy as some Americans feel that the mandates intrude on their freedom. A hot debate has surrounded the mandates for a vaccination with credible arguments on both sides 0of the controversial issue. Despite the controversy accompanying the vaccine mandate, it is an effective tool for fighting against the virus and should be upheld across all states.
Employers across the nation are increasingly imposing requirements on their employees to be vaccinated or providing incentives for those who do. The federal government, one of the biggest employers in the nation has imposed restrictions on employees including contractors and subcontractors. President Biden issued an executive order in September 2021 requiring contractors and subcontractors to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols including vaccination for employees (Pronczuk and Gregory, par. 1). This order has mandated federal employees and contractors to ramp up vaccination programs and ensure safety against COVID 19. The mandate, however, has ruffled feathers across the board due to the limitations imposed on employees and contractors on the same.
There generally are two sides to the vaccination debate. On the one hand, it is argued that such mandates can help boost herd immunity and reduce the rates of infections. Therefore, the argument for COVID vaccines points to the public health justification for the vaccine as it will improve population health and reduce the risk of infection. On the other hand, it is argued that requiring people to be vaccinated oversteps the government’s authority and goes against personal freedom of choice. Therefore, while the scientific basis argues for the vaccine mandate, civil rights advocates argue against the mandate’s imposed social control. Although the science supports public vaccination mandates, opponents have argued against the mandate due to its impact on civil freedom.
Journalism surrounding this issue has addressed the pros and cons of requiring people to be vaccinated. On the pro end, it is argued that such a mandate is necessary to maintain public safety. The main argument for the COVID-19 vaccine is that it is the only way that can address the current pandemic. Millions have died from the virus and the development of safe and effective vaccines has been a great milestone. Maggie Fox argues that for public safety, vaccine mandates have to be upheld since they motivate the public to behave like their peers and have been effective in the past reducing transmission in schools and generally in the public scope (par. 1). This argument is lined with an appeal to people’s sense of safety and is an emotional appeal to Americans to accept and support the mandates to ensure safety. As a public health issue, the support for vaccine mandate is based on the safety it presents due to herd immunity and reducing the risk of death from COVID and related infections. Therefore, the pro-mandate argument presents a scientific basis for necessitating public safety.
In addition to public safety, vaccine mandates have been supported as an effective means of maintaining economic activity and general public safety. The nation has been struggling to return to pre-COVID economic performance as many businesses have closed down or reduced their economic activity. This challenge can be addressed by providing a solution to the current pandemic. June Rosenthal, a director for public policy at the American Center for Progress, argues that with COVID vaccines, economic activity can resume, and generally, vaccinated people are at a lower risk of death from non-COVID issues (Greenblatt 17). From this study, it has been argued that the only way for the U.S to safely reopen economic activities is getting everyone vaccinated to reduce the risk and danger of the virus. Therefore, in addition to the emotional appeal attached to the COVID vaccine, appeal to logic regarding business activity has also been employed to convince the public of the need for such a mandate.
Elsewhere, the vaccine mandated has been opposed by various parties due to the limits it imposes on employees and the risk of social control with such a requirement. The main argument against the COVID mandate is that it does not provide the people with the freedom of choice regarding their health. Every citizen has a right to choose their healthcare and reject certain healthcare procedures. However, as argued by U.S News Staff the mandate unnecessarily intrudes on personal freedom and those who choose not to be vaccinated pose no significant risk to those who are vaccinated and hence are immune (par. 5). Therefore, the mandate is a weapon of social control as argued in the opposition to the executive order. While it is agreeable that the mandate could increase vaccination rates, arguments for personal freedom and civil rights point out the challenge of using the mandate to control the public.
In addition to the personal freedom of choice, arguments against the mandate are also politically motivated and several politicians have used that platform to build their chances of reelection. The anti-vaccination campaign has traditionally been a Republican theme as they argue more for personal freedom over government interventions. Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis has sued the federal government over the Biden mandate and his lawsuit has been analyzed as politically motivated to gain Republican support (Pronczuk and Gregory, par. 4). Politicians have identified that the vaccine mandate is a hotly contested topic and hence use it to gain political momentum. Florida governor’s lawsuit is just an example of the many politicians who use the COVID vaccine mandate as a basis for gaining political support. Therefore, in addition to arguments for personal freedom of choice, arguments against the vaccine mandate have also been linked with political motivation.
Moreover, requiring a vaccine for all Americans has been argued against using scientific evidence. The risk of infection and death from COVID 19 is not evenly distributed among all Americans. Some people have a higher risk of dying from the infection than others. There are also others who have developed natural immunity from previous COVID infections. The U.S News Staff has argued that requiring vaccination for people who already are immune is not scientifically supported (par. 2). Therefore, arguments against the COVID vaccine mandate have also used an appeal to logic and scientific proof to show that it is not a requirement for all Americans to maintain safety. Both sides of the argument have identified legitimate reasons for support or opposition against the COVID vaccine mandate, advancing emotional and logical arguments for the same.
Arguments for and against COVID vaccine mandates have advanced legitimate reasons for supporting or opposing such a mandate. On the one hand, it is agreeable that the only way to get everyone vaccinated is through a federal mandate. Anti-vaccination controversies have always been a part of the American public, especially advanced for political reasons. Therefore, arguments against the vaccine mandate are motivated by sentiments against vaccination in general that have existed before and are generally politically motivated. Republican politicians are the most vocal against COVID vaccine mandates simply because they are opposed to the current president and Democrat policies. Therefore, it is arguable that vaccinating the entire nation is the only way to beat COVID 19 since there currently is no cure for the disease. Logic supports the vaccine mandate.
Moreover, vaccinating Americans can ensure safety as the economy resumes. It is an extremely complicated process to identify and single out the people at most risk of COVID and vaccinate them. Since this is a challenge, a mass vaccination campaign targeting all Americans can be used instead. Mass vaccination and requiring such a mandate is the only way to ensure that people are actually immune and can resume economic activities with few restrictions (Greenblatt 17). Therefore, the only way to identify and vaccinate at-risk populations is through a mandate in order to push hesitant Americans and protect public health at all costs. Vaccine mandates are necessary to improve compliance and ensure vaccination for people at risk of acquiring the virus and death from it.
In addition, vaccines have been established as safe and effective means of protecting the public and achieving herd immunity. The COVID vaccines have been developed within a relatively short period compared to other vaccines. Doubts regarding their safety and effectiveness, therefore, are present in the public and even among experts. Nevertheless, current studies have established that all licensed vaccines are effective and safe for public use (Greenblatt 17). Similarly, vaccines have historically been an effective tool for fighting disease pandemics. Therefore, requiring all Americans to be vaccinated is a logical step towards building herd immunity in the public. The federal mandate requires employees and contractors working with the federal government to be vaccinated by December 2021. This requirement promotes public safety through building herd immunity and hence should be upheld to keep Americans safe from the unpredictable COVID virus.
The federal vaccine mandate has raised arguments regarding its effectiveness and impact on Americans but should be supported to ensure public safety. On the one hand, it is argued that vaccines are necessary for resuming economic activity through building herd immunity and ensuring public safety. It is also argued that vaccine mandate is the only way to achieve widespread vaccination and ensure public safety. On the other hand, it is argued that requiring all people to be vaccinated intrudes on their freedom and choice. Arguments for both sides are supported by logic and emotional appeal. However, it is clear that vaccine hesitancy and opposition is a political issue rather than personal choice issue. Taking away the political motivations from this argument, vaccine mandates seem to work to improve public safety and boost herd immunity. Therefore, the vaccine mandate by President Biden should be upheld and supported by the states.
Works Cited
Fox, Maggie. “People vaccinated against Covid-19 less likely to die from any cause, study finds.” CNN, 22 October 2021. edition.cnn.com/2021/10/22/health/covid-vaccines-death-rates/index.html
Greenblatt, Allan. “COVID-19 Vaccines.” CQ Researcher, 29 October 2021. library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2021102900
Pronczuk, Monika, and Todd Gregory. “Covid News: Florida Sues U.S. Over Vaccine Mandate.” New York Times, 28 October 2021. www.nytimes.com/live/2021/10/28/world/covid-vaccine-boosters
U.S News Staff. “Why COVID-19 Vaccines Should Not Be Required for All American.” U.S News, 5 August 2021. www.usnews.com/news/national-news/why-covid-19-vaccines-should-not-be-required-for-all-americans