Covid vaccinations

[idun]

 I realise that France has been slow out of the starting blocks with vaccinations, but hopefully things will improve very quickly.

So, should these vaccinations be compulsory? I realise that not everyone would be able medically to have one, so if everyone else who could had them does, surely we would all be protecting those who cannot?

I personally would make them compulsory for everyone who can have it, but that is my view point. Those that can and won't well, this isn't something like  say being a drug addict or alcoholic those things affect that person. Covid 19 kills and has no respect for race or position in society. No idea what should happen to those that would refuse and get ill, they certainly should not be putting anyone else at risk by their own negligence. And I reckon that the herd should be protected......... there you see, that is how France rubbed off on me, as the french like their herd protection.

[Lori]

I don't see how it can NOT become compulsory.  At the moment, I think the government is watching and hoping that the majority of people will choose to get vaccinated.  Yes, there will be those who for medical reasons cannot take the vaccine.  Making it that much more important that those of us who can, do.

Already, so many businesses are talking about vaccine passports, etc.  I think it is clear that many of us do not wish to circulate with ANYONE outside our bubble.  And, none of us seems to know exactly to what extent (after virus mutations) and for how long these vaccinations will protect us.  So, to me, it looks like it will be a long while before we feel comfortable in crowded, enclosed spaces.

My Mom (in the U.S.) who is 80 and has an endless list of serious health problems has now had her second dose (4 february).  So far, so good.  I'll have mine when I can.  Heaven knows when that will be. 

I would have no problem with it being compulsory.  Hey, the French require the TB vaccination to enter public school here and I've been told that one has a low threshold of effectiveness. 

[chessfou2]

Personally, I would fight with all my might against any medical intervention whatsoever being made compulsory. This is especially so with anything presented as being '90% effective' (when the promoter is citing relative efficacity).

That 90% 'relative' efficacity (not 'absolute') - simple explanation: one group of 1,000 receives vaccine, other group of 1,000 receives placebo (hopefully; one of the trials used a meningococcal vaccine instead of a placebo!!), only one of the vaccinated comes down with Covid, against ten in the placebo group; result 1/10 = 90% relative, but actually 0.9% (absolute 9/1000).

Which means that the vaccine ('90% efficacity') actually works (or did in its trial) for about one person in a hundred. There is no scientific justification to make that compulsory, only emotion (& PR).

Which does not necessarily mean that I will decline a vaccine (depends a lot which one) when it comes my turn, but in the meantime, there are ways of assisting the immune system which are more than 1% effective (absolute).

[EuroTr@sh]

I don't see any value in a vaccination passport unless or until there is a vaccine that stops people carrying the virus and spreading it - which I don't believe any of the current vaccines do.

The advantage is to the individual, because they're at less risk of getting seriously ill and dying, but also to society because it will ease pressure on the health service. So in a sense it is selfish for an individual not do everything they can to protect society. But I guess that as long as the majority choose to get the jab, which I think they will, the few who don't won't do too much damage. They'll simply join the other categories whose lifestyle choices put extra pressure on the health service - smokers, drug users, binge drinkers etc.

For me it boils down to, as long as I'm as sure as I can be that it won't do me any harm, and I think there's a chance it may do some good, why would I not take it? I think people are overcomplicating things, but then I'm a simple soul.