I am sure my view will be no surprise and be disagreed with by most on here.
I feel the vaccine should be mandatory unless their are strong medical reasons why it is inappropriate. I also appreciate that it will never happen though. People who choose not to, increase their personal risk of death, as well as those of their family, friends and anyone they have contact with, thereby increasing the risk to everyone. They also allow the virus increased opportunity to mutate and beat the effectiveness of vaccines which will lead to more deaths as a result, increased burden on the state, future lockdowns and cost to the economy and the way we have to live.
I understand and accept we have to live with the virus and accept a degree of risk. The vaccine is no guarantee of safety and some will still get Covid-19 despite being vaccinated. The more vulnerable amongst us will therefore be ill and a few will still die earlier than perhaps they otherwise would due to weakened immune systems and linking in with other underlying conditions.
I feel strongly that all hospital and care home staff should be made to have the jab. It is already mandatory to have certain jabs in some jobs i think, like the hepatitis jab, so why not the covid jab. Lets remember many people caught Covid-19 after being admitted to hospital for other reasons and subsequently died. I definitely feel some employers should have the right to say no jab, no job such as the caring professions. People have the right to refuse the jab, but with that comes certain things they miss out on. I am sure if it was a requirement for their job more would then take up the offer. Also if a passport was required to access venues like pubs, clubs, sporting venues etc we would see more take up. I would make that happen as a method of encouraging vaccine take up thereby maximising the safety as far as any government can.
Those refusing the vaccine have no way of knowing for sure if they have the disease and can spread it, just like we don’t if vaccinated tbf, but the less risk of spreading to minimise the dangers the better and the vaccines may also help that way. This virus will be here forever and will mutate meaning boosters will be needed regularly. Those against the vaccines help the virus more than they help themselves, they will eventually develop vulnerabilities and risk serious illness and death and want the NHS to save them in hospital where the spread could cause the death of others never mind themselves. I think it is everyones civic duty to have it.