COVID-19 Vaccines Shouldn't Be Forced Says WHO, But Encouraged Through Merit
The World Health Organization has announced its stance on COVID-19 vaccines. The UN health agency proposes that the vaccines should not be made mandatory for the people and instead should be administered to those who want it on the vaccines merit.
As pharmaceutical majors around the globe are on the verge of rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, the World Health Organization has announced its stance on their use. The UN health agency proposes that the vaccines should not be made mandatory for the people and instead, should be administered to those who want it on the vaccine¡¯s merit.
(Representative Image: Reuters)
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The WHO pointed out that it is completely the call of individual countries to decide how they want to conduct their vaccination campaigns against the coronavirus pandemic. It did, however, note that making the vaccine mandatory to get immunised would not be ideal.
"I don't think that mandates are the direction to go in here, especially for these vaccines," Kate O'Brien, director of the WHO's immunisation department, said in a virtual news conference. "It is a much better position to actually encourage and facilitate the vaccination without those kinds of requirements.¡±
"I don't think we envision any countries creating a mandate for vaccination," O'Brien added.
O'Brien mentioned specific professions in which being vaccinated should either be required or be highly recommended. These professions include healthcare workers like respiratory technicians and intensive care medics in hospitals. Getting vaccinated in such cases will understandably prove beneficial for the safety of both the professional and the patients.
The long road
WHO is aware of the fact that it might be hard to convince the general public to get vaccinated against the disease. The agency wants it to be done by making the masses aware of its benefits.
WHO's emergencies director Michael Ryan said "The vaccine story is a good news story. It is the victory of human endeavour, potentially, over a microbial adversary."
(Representative Image: Reuters)
"We need to convince people and we need to persuade."
Ryan recommended against making the vaccines mandatory for the masses. He said "we are much better served to present people with the data and the benefits and let people make up their own minds.¡±
"There are certain circumstances, where I would believe that the only responsible thing would be to be vaccinated," he added.
(With inputs from AFP)
