Warp-Speed COVID Vaccines

Should COVID-19 vaccines be mandatory is an interesting and important question. 

Let’s look at the risks: we have only early safety data so far (Dec 2020), these rapidly developed vaccines use a new technology – mRNA – for which we don’t know much about and such vaccines have not been approved in the past for human use, "EUA" for vaccines to be used in millions of healthy people is not a normal standard in medical practice, and some (if not many) of the companies developing the vaccines are relatively new and have no history of success in bringing vaccines to market.   

The benefits: early data showed efficacy and safety with only mild/typical side-effects in general, we actually have vaccines in-hand within 1 year of the pandemic, the pandemic is not cost-effectively managed without vaccines, lives can be saved, illness can be reduced, healthcare workers and systems may avoid being overburdened, and we might get back to some sort of societal, personal, and economic normalcy sooner.

On balance, “EUA” vaccines, I think, should be strongly recommended but not mandatory. However, healthcare professionals, keeping our professional mission in mind, should get the vaccines and in actuality “enroll” as subjects in long-term efficacy and safety trials. All other citizens also should strongly consider to “enroll” when more vaccines are readily available; because without large numbers of study subjects, we cannot be certain whether vaccines or any medical interventions work or are safe – especially critical while fighting a pandemic.

Yet, for those who refuse the vaccines based on personal liberty or other nonmedical-related reasons, public or private insurances, I propose, should not cover (or fully cover) their medical (or death) expenses. This is fair and equitable from the societal perspective and also from personal perspective – personal liberty disregarding societal needs will have to take on personal responsibilities and costs without overly and unfairly burdening the society.