In recent weeks, several within the private sector made clear their intentions to mandate that their unvaccinated workers undergo regular COVID-19 tests. There was also talk about the possibility of relieving workers of their duties if they refuse to be vaccinated. Following up on this, the Government of Guyana began echoing similar sentiments.
The reasoning, although shortsighted, is understood – but there are many things to be concerned about with this route of coercion. There is a thin line between scientific and governmental populism and Guyana, as with many other countries, is moving in a dangerous direction. Having a mandatory policy will not go down well with a populace that has largely been mistrustful of governments, businesses and vaccinations.
Listening to the man in the street, there is distrust not only towards State and private businesses, but also towards experts and industry professionals. This will result in mandatory vaccination policies being met with defiance; further reducing vaccine uptake as it will not only weaponize anti-vaxx rhetoric but also recruit others to the cause who might’ve just not understood the information surrounding the vaccine in its entirety. Many unaddressed myths that were allowed to spread at the beginning of the pandemic have now taken root. These myths have become so fiercely accepted as fact that no amount of limitation of freedoms and the possibility of fines will sway many.
Mandatory vaccinations are rarely justifiable and this time is no different. Those who are against mandatory vaccination policies are not always anti-vaxx, or even unvaccinated. I for instance am pro-vaxx, vaccinated and would feel safer if it is that everyone is vaccinated, but there are valid concerns with the way in which government, businesses and employers are infringing upon individual freedom of rights and beliefs. I also understand the reality that personal freedom comes against the backdrop of ethical responsibility.
With COVID-19 being a still globally building pandemic, there is a collective responsibility to ensure that infection and mortality rates do not continue to climb. Individual responsibility must however be largely supported by State and business systems. What for example is the sense of government and businesses requiring vaccinations, yet still having citizens in spaces that are cramped or unventilated? Why tell persons to maintain social distancing when you frequently hold large-scale events and photo ops? Vaccination efforts need to be compounded by common sense considerations of the virus and the latter is woefully lacking in all sectors.
The efforts of the Ministry of Health to vaccinate our population should be commended, but relying only on the hopes of mass vaccination ultimately leading to “herd immunity” is a pipe dream. Vaccination efforts need to be aggressively accompanied by public education campaigns, relevant incentives and fostering trust in the vaccine. Of course, none of these things on their own will always bring about the desired results of an uptick in vaccinations. This is why it is important to keep the fire burning on all ends. The costs as it stands now, are relatively low, but if we continue with our current trajectory, the next few years will see us in a far worse state than we currently are as the virus continues to mutate amongst the unvaccinated.
What will be required to achieve majority uptake of the vaccines is not mandatory policies, but rather the centring of time, trust and communication with citizens. Surely, this will be difficult to achieve but it is necessary. The polio virus that was endemic to India which saw thousands of children getting paralyzed daily since the early 1990s was eliminated by 2011 not through mandatory vaccinations but through efforts that involved communities, targeted vulnerable groups, took concerns into consideration, bolstered education efforts, removed barriers to vaccinations, formed linkages with political and religious leaders and invested in local delivery systems.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 vaccinations can prevent greater harm to our population. However, we cannot rely solely on vaccinations to get us through this pandemic and enforcing mandatory policies will take us several steps back.
