VACCINES WILL NOT INOCULATE THE STATE AGAINST LEGAL CHALLENGES

THOSE who choose to reject the Covid-19 vaccine may find themselves excluded from a lot of everyday life.

Alan Joyce, the Irish boss of Qantas, this week said the Australian airline and others were likely to demand proof of vaccination before allowing customers to fly. States will be reluctant to compel their own citizens to take the jab for fear of provoking civil unrest. But states may do it for each other in a roundabout way.

Many countries already require visitors to confirm that they are inoculated against certain diseases before they can enter a country. Extend that to Covid-19 and it becomes essential for anyone who wants to travel to prove that they have had their shots.

So anti-vaxxers may decide that they simply won’t travel across borders, but life may still be complicated for them. Ticketmaster in the US is exploring the possibility of seeking proof of vaccination for those who buy tickets to attend concerts or major sporting events, for example, although it is now back-tracking a little and saying that would be a decision for event organisers. What happens there is likely to happen here in Ireland. Extend such ideas to the provision of other goods and services. Admission to pubs and restaurants restricted to those who can prove immunisation?

It’s not hard to imagine that such exclusions would lead to challenges in the courts. Businessman Declan Ganley is already bringing action to the courts arguing that restrictions on Mass attendance are unconstitutional.

Imagine if production of vaccination details was required for going to Mass, or if employers demanded it as a condition of attending for work. There is the potential for many rows.

Most people will take the shots, but some will refuse. Not so many, however, as is likely to damage the necessary take-up of the vaccines to provide some element of ‘herd immunity’.