Mandating Vaccines for Employees

Another huge step has been taken towards getting more people vaccinated here in the United States.

Yesterday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided formal approval of the Pfizer version of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is a huge step forward in having many different institutions being able to mandate that their employees and students have vaccinations.

These groups of people now will have to choose between employment and the vaccination. Types of institutions include:

• The United States Military
• High Schools
• Government Agencies
• Hospitals and Other Medical Providers
• Nursing Homes
• Elementary School Staff
• Select Businesses
• The Media

I expect there will be more court wrangling to happen in the weeks ahead, but the precedent appears to be very solid to require immunization. Just think about all the other vaccinations required for kids to be in school. This time around there will be enforcement.

Just yesterday in my home town I drove by a small demonstration of people on the street corner waving anti-vaccination signs. One read, “Medical Freedom.”

What most of these people miss is that the effort underway is not about them as an individual — it is about other people. That is why it is called “public health.”

FDA approval of other vaccines like Moderna and the J&J vaccine are expected in the weeks ahead.

When the booster shot becomes available, I’m rolling up my sleeve and getting one as soon as possible.