As cases of the coronavirus surge in certain parts of the US, the US federal government is upping tactics to boost vaccination rates. According to CNN, “As of Sunday, only 49.1% of Americans have been fully vaccinated…That’s nowhere near enough vaccinations to stop the spread of the Delta variant, the most contagious strain of novel coronavirus ever identified. In 48 states, the rate of new Covid-19 cases this past week jumped by at least 10% compared to the previous week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In 34 of those states, the rate of new cases increased by more than 50%.
Hospitals are filling up again with Covid-19 patients except now, patients are younger than before, said doctors in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Missouri.” Last week, President Joe Biden announced that all federal employees and contractors will be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19, or to submit to regular testing and mitigation requirements.
Sermo physicians support this decision, according to a recent poll of 500+ global doctors. When asked if they believe that healthcare workers should be required to have a mandatory COVID vaccination, this is how the doctors responded:
- 49% said yes, there should be a mandatory vaccination for all healthcare workers.
- 22% said yes, there should be a mandatory vax policy for all healthcare workers with exemptions noted for pre-existing conditions.
- 4% said yes, but only those in high-risk situations, such as frontline workers, or home care workers.
- 25% said no, health care workers are aware of the risks, and should be allowed to choose if they want to be vaccinated or not.
When asked how Sermo doctors believe that those declining a mandatory vaccination should be handled, this is how the physicians responded:
- 33% said those declining should be suspended until fully vaccinated.
- 20% said no punitive action should be required.
- 18% said they should be transferred to a lower risk environment (i.e. telehealth).
- 16% said they should be tested weekly or more frequently for COVID-19.
- 12% said masking should be required indefinitely.
- 2% said they should be fined.
Sermo physicians discussed whether healthcare workers should be allowed exemption from mandatory vaccination for medical reasons: 39% said they should be if they have a prior allergy or anaphylaxis to immunization; 17% said yes, if they have a pre-existing auto-immune issue; 11% said yes, if they are immuno-compromised; and 7% said yes, if they have a history of blood clotting disorders.
Regarding other sectors of the work force, 54% of doctors said that COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory for all sectors. Seventy-two percent said they personally feel they are being put at increased risk of getting COVID by people who are not vaccinated.
Here is more of what Sermo physicians have to say on this controversial topic:
getting vaccinated is a duty to the world and mankind
Ophthalmology, U.S.
All employers should demand Covid vaccinations . A person’s individual independence should not come before the public health for the majority
Otolaryngology (ORL / ENT), U.S.
While I encourage and plead with my patients to get vaccinated, I don’t see a constitutional way to force people to have a medical procedure against their will without a court proving mental incapacity. However, having individual corporations, clubs, or employers choose the conditions of employment and attendance seems fine with me.
Psychiatry, U.S.
Here’s the thing; it isn’t really MANDATORY. Everybody is free to choose whether or not to be vaccinated. Likewise, a company is free to choose (with certain limits, e.g. protected statuses) who they hire, who they employ, and who they serve. As it should be. So, saying vaccination is mandatory is a misnomer. Vaccination is a condition of employment, or a condition of service. That is all. Vaccination status is NOT protected status and shouldn’t be so, so there shouldn’t be a problem here, either. When a store says “no shirt, no shoes, no service,” nobody complains that they are “discriminating” against the shirtless or that their freedoms are being infringed (because they aren’t). They just shut up and put on a shirt. So, if you want to work for the federal government, shut up and get the shot. And if you can’t do that, you have the freedom to look for work somewhere that won’t be a problem.
Family Medicine, U.S.
There should be no mandatory vaccination for general public yet. High risk ppl should be vaccinated or wear masks & be tested routinely. There are some potential serious consequences from the vaccination in some isolated ppl. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly who these ppl are: hence individuals need to have choices. I don’t believe “unvaccinated ppl” are placing me or my family at risk. I do believe that careless ppl, vaccinated or not are increasing potential spread: wash hands, wear masks in appropriate places and social distance. Finally, the media has to stop the hyperbolic reactions to the 0.0007% of deaths from the new variant. All this does is further taint the public’s suspicion of this disease.
Orthopedic Surgery, U.S.
