#217, Mandate
New York City will become the first U.S. city to require proof of vaccination for a variety of activities for workers and customers — indoor dining, gyms and movie theaters — a move intended to put pressure on people to get vaccinated, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday.
The restrictions, similar to mandates issued in France and Italy last month, represent the most aggressive response to lagging vaccination rates in the United States, and they come as the number of virus cases surge across the country. Mr. de Blasio said he hoped that other cities would implement similar measures.
Vaccine mandates are accelerating across the country, as both municipalities and private businesses have adopted them. On Tuesday, Tyson Foods told its 120,000 workers in offices, slaughterhouses and poultry plants across the country that they would need to be vaccinated by Nov. 1 as a “condition of employment.” And Microsoft, which employs roughly 100,000 people in the United States, said it would require proof of vaccination for all employees, vendors and guests to gain access to its offices.
SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/nyregion/new-york-city-vaccine-mandate.html
Throughout the U.S., vaccine mandates (an official order or commission to do something) have become increasingly common. The federal government has stopped short of making vaccination mandatory across the country and President Biden has vocalized that he does not want to take away people’s choice. However, other institutions such as Disney and Microsoft have made it clear—get vaccinated or find a new job. Students who wish to return to Harvard, MIT, or more than 600 other universities must get vaccinated to step on campus. Smaller businesses such as restaurants and gyms have followed suit requiring customers show proof of vaccination for entry. Why? To protect lives.
NOTE: In the U.S., vaccines are readily available. In fact, in New York City, they’ll pay you $100 to get vaccinated.
This is not unprecedented. Schools and universities already require students have several vaccinations. According to the CDC, before attending kindergarten, students should be administered the chickenpox vaccine, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, flu vaccine, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, and polio (IPV) vaccine.
In Korea, these type of mandates are unlikely, for the time being, since the country lags behind on vaccinations. Since the program started in February of this year, only 15% of the population has been fully vaccinated—dead last of the 38 OECD countries. Mandates are very unlikely in the near future for the Korean peninsula.
To complete this Journal response, address the following:
What do you think about vaccine mandates? (not just in Korea)
Comment on a peer’s response.
-Brenden Lee Teacher