Dilemma of the unvaccinated
ONE OF the looming national questions at the moment is how to treat with the unvaccinated among us. There is currently no Government vaccine mandate, so it’s left up to individuals to decide whether or not to take the jab.
The vaccination rate is disappointingly low, which means hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans have not taken the jab. It seems, also, that no amount of education or moral suasion is likely to change the mindset of individuals who have embraced antivaccine propaganda, and who argue that the vaccines were hastily developed and may have serious side effects.
What is concerning, though, is that this personal decision to refuse vaccination is creating a dilemma because it has a direct impact on the communities in which the unvaccinated live, and the people with whom they work and socialise.
There is overwhelming medical evidence that the vaccines work, for they prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19 infections. Most people know someone who has died of COVID-19, and the discussion usually comes around to the vaccination status of the deceased and whether there were underlying issues.
Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, vaccines were hailed as a great public health measure which helped to reduce infectious diseases and associated mortality, especially in children. Vaccines are estimated to save more than three million children’s lives worldwide each year.
CONSEQUENCES
The personal decision not to be vaccinated has consequences. Employers are slowly closing their doors on the unvaccinated. A significant number of households in Jamaica are run by women who are employed as household workers. There is evidence that many of these women who are unvaccinated are finding it harder to get work. Employers, particularly retirees, and those with co-morbidities, are feeling vulnerable and have decided not to have anyone in their homes who are unvaccinated.
The same applies to small contractors like plumbers, carpenters and cable or other technicians. They are finding out that being unvaccinated will deny them access to many homes and business places.
In other cases, some businesses are demanding that unvaccinated employees provide a negative COVID-19 test (at their expense), in order to come and be at the workplace.
As the debate rages on about vaccinated versus unvaccinated, some in the medical field have suggested that hospital beds, staff and equipment should be prioritised for the benefit of those who have been vaccinated.
And with the festive season almost here, many families will want to gather and try to get back to pre-pandemic levels of socialisation. There are likely to be awkward situations with unvaccinated members of the family. We suspect that such conversations are taking place right now. Things could get ugly to the point of social segregation at a time when people should be in celebration mode.
On the global level, many doors are also closing for the unvaccinated. For example, the unvaccinated have been banned from travel on commercial airlines and they will also find many borders closed to them. A vaccination pass will soon be required for access to most public spaces, libraries, restaurants, movie theatres, entertainment and sporting events.
Over time, a number of measures have been introduced to keep people safe. These public interventions, though inconvenient at times, have contributed to the overall well-being of populations. Seat belts were introduced as a public safety measure, and we comply. Smoking has been banned in public spaces as a safety measure, and we comply. A vaccine is a public health intervention, and its benefits extend beyond an individual to the whole community.
We anticipate that, as more restrictions fall into place around the world, the unvaccinated will begin to feel more isolated. What will it take to convince people that this is the right thing to do?