Austria’s February Covid-19 measure will make vaccinations mandatory for all people over 14 years old.
There are hefty fines of more than £3,000 for those who flout the rules – including a strict lockdown for those insisting on remaining unvaccinated.
Others in Europe are also following their lead. Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, is believed to seriously consider it. All Greeks over 60 years old must now be double-jabbed.
Mandatory vaccination, we’ve long been told, would never come into force in the UK – Ministers had declared the very idea to be distinctly unBritish.
Mandatory vaccination, we’ve long been told, would never come into force in the UK – Ministers had declared the very idea to be distinctly unBritish. Pictured today: Protestors marched along Park Lane at the Outreach Freedom Rally.
Many people argue that the Government is already moving in the same direction as the NHS Covid Pass, where proof must be provided of any vaccinations to allow you to go to nightclubs and other big events. Whitehall protestors (pictured)
This was true up to a fortnight back, when Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Omicron warned the country about the increasing threat of this variant.
He instead called for a ‘national conversation’ on the issue, adding: ‘I don’t believe we can keep going indefinitely with non-pharmaceutical interventions… just because a substantial proportion of the population still, sadly, has not got vaccinated.’
Many people argue that the government has taken similar steps with the NHS Covid card, which requires proof of vaccination to be allowed into nightclubs or other large events.
Yet, surprisingly, few scientists are in favour: even the most Covid-fearing who have argued for repeated lockdowns, despite just under 20 per cent of Britons having had only one dose of protection – and studies show three jabs are by far the most effective tool we have for controlling the UK’s epidemic.
Dr Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London who advocates for ‘zero Covid’ – a campaign to eliminate the virus globally via strict lifestyle restrictions – says she’d be more supportive of making mask-wearing in all indoor spaces a legal requirement than she is of mandatory vaccination.
She says that mandatory vaccines “force people to have a jab” rather than treating the root causes of their vaccine resistance.
It marginalizes those who are already feeling forgotten by the health authorities. This is why they don’t get jabbed. It has placed too much emphasis on vaccinations and vaccination passports while neglecting other important measures. This is an enormous problem.
Queen Mary University of London epidemiologist Dr Deepti Gurdasani says that she would be more in favor of mask-wearing being a mandatory requirement for indoor space.
Swansea University’s public health lecturer, Dr Simon Williams says, “I strongly oppose mandatory jabs.” You should consider it an extreme last resort. It is possible that this scheme could cause more damage than good.
However, why is this? However, experts question the need for mandatory jabs to be administered in the UK. More than 80 percent of adults aged 12 or older have received two jabs, and nearly 45 per cent have received a booster.
Compare this to Austria, which has 65% adult population that have taken both, and Greece, at 67%.
Dr Williams says that there aren’t many people in Britain who have not been vaccinated. ‘If our take-up were much lower, it may be justifiable to turn to extreme measures – but not right now.’
According to doctor’s reports, 6.4million Britons still remain unprotected. However, would forcing Britons have to get the jab help with the UK’s outbreak?
Today’s figures by UKHSA show that Omicron confirmed cases increased in England by 69% compared to the previous day. The numbers rose from 9,427 up to 23,168
France’s July 1st, 2003 vaccinations were mandatory for public entry. The vaccine uptake rate was around 55%.
One online booking platform was used to book over one million appointments in the first 24 hours following the rule’s announcement. About 70% of adult jabbers are complete now.
It is not clear if vaccine mandates will be enough to stop an increasing tidal wave infection.
Scientists believe that the large, influential, anti-vax community in the US is a result of strict vaccination policies, which include flu shots for certain employees.
In Scotland and Wales, however, non-vaccinated individuals have been prohibited from participating in nightclubs or sporting events since September. This has not made any difference in jab uptake, transmission, or other aspects.
Omicron cases have been increasing rapidly in Scotland, so First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged citizens not to socialize with more than three families.
Germany has the most stringent Covid pass regulations in Europe. Unjabbed persons are banned from all public areas except restaurants. Cases have increased 14 fold in Germany in the last month. Health ministers claim that hospitals in Germany are dangerously full.
Experts claim that mandatory jabs will do more harm than good due to the unique nature of British citizens.
Dr Williams states that “Research has shown that British people would like to take control of their own lives,”
“When people feel they have lost their rights, they are more likely to resist health authorities in the future.”
“People lose trust in medical professionals, which causes more problems.”
Dr English says that it has a lot in common with tradition and culture. These vaccinations work very well in countries where mandatory vaccines are required.
“In Italy for example, there’s a large culture of vaccines. When they have introduced vaccines and decided not to make them compulsory, people say, “Well, it’s not that important, because they aren’t forcing us to get it.”
‘The UK hasn’t had mandatory jabs since the 1940s – when they were introduced during a smallpox outbreak, people rioted on the streets. This backlash would cause more harm than good and discourage people from getting vaccines.
A recent study by Imperial College London has shown that 50% of Britons older than 40 are less likely to get vaccinated if they were required to for their daily life, such as going to work.
‘Our studies have shown that most of those who don’t want the jab are simply delaying it – they aren’t anti-vax,’ says Dr Williams. But if they are forced to get it, they’ll say that they’re willing to double down or refuse completely.
Several international reviews of vaccine mandates have found that gentle supportive measures – educational tools and persuasive language – are more effective overall for maintaining high uptake and controlling infection.
A recent report in the scientific journal Nature highlighted that countries with the most consistently high coverage of the MMR jab against measles, mumps and rubella – Portugal and Sweden, at roughly 95 per cent – do not have compulsory vaccine policies.
In the US however, childhood vaccinations are mandatory for attendance at school. However, the uptake of these vaccines has dropped significantly in five years. Additionally, more parents have applied for medical exemptions.
Coverage for MMR remains under 90 per cent in many states – the level needed to obtain herd immunity.
It is possible that at this moment in the pandemic it may not be beneficial to focus on convincing people who haven’t had a Covid vaccination to do so when they need three to protect themselves against Omicron.
“We are aware that only two doses won’t offer any protection against the new variant. Some may feel it is better to invest all of our resources in the booster campaign,” Dr Williams says.
He added: “It’s about not giving up on those who aren’t vaccinated. It’s about focusing your attention on protecting yourself against this current wave.”
“And I don’t think forcing people to take a first dosage will make a difference.”