[908B64B197]

> 5. Why are people vaccine-hesitant? While it is easy to dismiss the unvaccinated as conspiracy theorists and selfish, this is overly simplistic and frankly inaccurate. The unvaccinated are disproportionately of lower socio-economic status, ethnic minorities and children. Many minority groups have legitimate reasons to distrust the medical establishment, based on a long and sordid history of racism and classism. Some are unable to get vaccinated because they cannot afford time off work for vaccination and post-vaccine side effects. It is imperative that we understand the unintended potential health equity impacts of vaccine certificates on specific population groups, and that we target our efforts to vaccinate these populations in a way that is respectful, accessible and meaningful.

This right here is what the priority should be.

Policy-makers, with private doctor(s!), chauffeurs and staff won't empathize and understand the burden of vaccination for the lowest 10% percentile. But that's the long tail is, and were we'll see outbreaks in the following months if we keep ignoring it.

[bobthechef]

While I don't subscribe to the idea that "disparity implies racism", this is most certainly a case where, if you accept that view, vaccine mandates must be interpreted as racist precisely because Black and Hispanics are disproportionately unvaccinated. And the points made in (5) stand regardless of whether you accept the disparity view.

But this is hardly the main point. (6) is more relevant (and the second part of (5) is worth also adding separately).

> 6. Are vaccine certificates ethical? One of the most sacred principles in medical ethics is autonomy, meaning that an individual has the right to decide what happens to their body. [...] Even the most well-informed individual cannot provide informed consent if their “choice” is coerced. Vaccine certificates render the individual in an impossible place of having to choose vaccination or loss of employment and exclusion from society. This impossible “choice” forces the hand of those in this predicament and ultimately results in consent under duress. [...] Loss of trust in the medical establishment can lead to poor health outcomes, as patients may avoid care and be less receptive to medical management. Given that we have exceeded numerous vaccine targets and offered protection to those at greatest risk, we should make every effort at this time to maintain patient autonomy and guide with openness rather than exclusion.

> Public health interventions need to take into account not only the immediate threat before us, but also the downstream negative effects that may occur as a result of our actions. The introduction of vaccine certificates threatens individual autonomy and societal norms, and runs the risk of further isolating marginalized groups without clear metrics to assess efficacy. The sacrifices that have been made throughout this pandemic are astonishing

Medical ethics is being thrown out the door and those pushing for vaccine coercion seem completely unable or unwilling to accept that that's what they're in favor of. And practically speaking, coercion, given the sickening and duplicitous politicization of the vaccine, is only going to result in skepticism toward the vaccine, which it has.

[908B64B197]

> Medical ethics is being thrown out the door and those pushing for vaccine coercion seem completely unable or unwilling to accept that that's what they're in favor of. And practically speaking, coercion, given the sickening and duplicitous politicization of the vaccine, is only going to result in skepticism toward the vaccine, which it has.

Ethics has always been a joke. A set of vague guidelines that wouldn't pass the stricter bar of being tested in court. It's basically anyone with a sliver of power playing judge and legislator.

I had not even considered the racial aspect. But I wonder, would it help to have black and Hispanic doctors reaching out to their respective demographics and talking to them about the vaccine? A booth with an "Ask me Anything" and shots available right away for those who change their mind?