A new Jim Crow, Down Under: Those refusing COVID-19 shots should lose their jobs, not be allowed to eat in restaurants or have their children go to school (and that's just for starters)
Mark Crispin Miller
OPINION
New COVID-19 restrictions will be needed for anti-vaxxers
By Raff Ciccone
As if the bushfires weren’t bad enough, we’ve since had the world economy shut down, millions infected with COVID-19 and hundreds of thousands dead. This pandemic feels like we’re in the middle of a real-life Hollywood blockbuster.
Like all good movies, this one will leave us fundamentally changed well after it’s ended. Our world will look and feel very different once the show is over. But not for the better.
Thankfully, the possibility of a vaccine for this virus is looking more plausible. Unfortunately, like a diabolical plot twist, the day the vaccine arrives, so too will the inevitable chorus of those who object to being vaccinated. But unlike hapless movie heroes, we can be prepared for this.
A COVID-19 vaccine candidate being developed by scientists at Imperial College London.
To anti-vaxxers, I have one message: our tolerance for your wilful ignorance is over. We cannot afford, morally or economically, to give any ground to those who choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Let me be clear. I’m not advocating that we vaccinate people against their will. That would be wrong. We must ensure that the safety of our community is the number one priority. That means that participation in everyday life cannot put others at risk. If you do not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, you ought to bear the consequences of that decision.
As a community, we should consider to what extent we allow organisations to prevent those who object to being vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter their premises, participate in their activities and, in some circumstances, seek their employment.
Governments have gone some way to doing this by implementing policies such as withholding family tax benefits and preventing children from being accepted into childcare unless vaccinations are proven. Further restrictions would be a natural extension of these policies.
Restaurants could be allowed the right to refuse entry to those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. Businesses, especially those involved in the care or service of vulnerable communities, might be allowed the right to refuse employment to those without a COVID-19 vaccination. Organisers of mass gatherings could deny the sale of tickets on this basis.
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No doubt there would be logistical issues to overcome. However, the health and safety of our population should be any government's primary concern, and the infrastructure to implement these changes exists. Click on the link for the rest.