Implementation of mandates without careful consideration risk exacerbating existing societal divisions, causing more protests, and propagating lack of trust in public health authorities, which could be devastating in the event of major public health issues in future; therefore, vaccine mandates should be carefully designed to ensure that Human rights are not violated.

Regardless of vaccine mandates, relying on vaccinations alone will not overcome the pandemic. The positive impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions remains substantial and such interventions should be continuously encouraged in all countries. Examples from Israel and Singapore suggest that even in countries with high vaccination rates, removal of non-pharmaceutical interventions, especially when combined with waning immunity, will contribute to high infection rates. WHO has warned that giving repeated booster doses of existing COVID-19 vaccines in developed countries is not a sustainable global strategy for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, WHO argues that the focus should shift towards producing new vaccines that work better against emerging variants. Moreover, people who are vaccine hesitant might be more willing to take antiviral drugs, formulated in tablets early in the course of infection to reduce the chance of serious disease and death. In the past few months, some countries have authorised the use of two such drugs, molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir–ritonavir, and more trials of candidate drugs are ongoing.

The reality of global vaccine inequity is a much more profound issue and blaming people who are vaccine hesitant represents a reductionist approach to overcoming this pandemic. Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals need to coexist with tolerance, trust, and respect for one another.

Originally Posted By J.L.C.⏩

Originally Posted By DrugsToGetBig⏩