Beyond increasing the uptake of the vaccines, the public-health case for the mandates is weak and contradictory. Trudeau has said his vaccine mandate is meant to protect those who have ‘done the right thing’ by getting vaccinated, stating they ‘deserve the freedom to be safe from Covid’. But it is the vaccine itself that will ensure individuals are safe from Covid, not the upcoming mandate. The vaccinated do not need additional protection. For the prime minister to claim that they do will only sow doubt about the efficacy of the vaccines among the vaccine hesitant, and it could promote unnecessary fears among the vaccinated.
Vaccine mandates might make more sense as a public-health tool if the vaccines could be shown to significantly slow the spread of Covid. But while it is true that vaccination greatly reduces an individual’s risk of hospitalisation if they get infected, it does not prevent infections full stop. Breakthrough infections can happen and vaccinated people can still spread the virus. It is always a bad idea to trade liberty off against safety, but it’s not even clear how much additional safety is being gained here, especially for the fully vaccinated, whom the government claims its policy will protect.
No comments:
Post a Comment