Can you legally mandate a person to get an emergency-use-only vaccine?

I am reading about companies wanting to require, legally require, their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. There are no legal statutes or challenges that give credence to this stance. Yet, companies are starting to inch in this direction.

Legal?

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20210409/why-employee-covid-vaccination-mandates-may-not-be-legal. Part of the background on mandated vaccines is the desire to achieve herd immunity. The percentage of people waffling, waiting, or refusing to get COVID-19 vaccines pushes the envelope on the United States, reaching at least 65% immunized against coronavirus.

Some companies mandate flu shots. However, flu shots are fully approved by the FDA. Coronavirus vaccines are not approved. These vaccines have an emergency use authorization only, not full approval. Major difference!

Military Mandate?

https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Vaccine-Availability/. As much as the military would prefer to have every member vaccinated against COVID-19, they cannot mandate it. The vaccines are not fully approved. When a vaccine is listed as emergency use only, the option remains with the service member, not the service. The member must volunteer to get the vaccine.

Full FDA Approval

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizer-biontech-eye-official-covid-19-vaccine-nod-as-efficacy-stands-strong-including. Pfizer is preparing paperwork for final FDA approval of their coronavirus vaccine. Six months of people having received two doses of their vaccine and no significant adverse effects coupled with the vaccine being nearly as effective with cases of the B.1.351 South African viral variant, Pfizer believes it has the necessary qualifications for their vaccine to gain full approval.

The South African viral variant is twice as transmissible as previous coronavirus strains. Pfizer’s vaccine has shown to be effective 91.3% when reviewing case studies of populations having received two doses of their vaccines and showing no virus symptoms after six months.

Pfizer is working on a booster shot to increase their vaccine’s effectiveness against viral variants existing now and updated to address new, more severe variants in the future. A booster shot given annually or maybe every other year might be the better way to tackle the long-term effects of coronavirus.

Conclusion

Yes, it is a good idea to expedite herd immunity. People are tired of being quarantined and wearing face masks. Yet, the disease has a 99% survivability rate. True, if you are over 65 years of age, the risk of death is higher. Older adults might have to endure lockdowns and protective measures longer than those under 50 years of age, but is that a big deal if you remain healthy?

Mandated vaccines must have full FDA approval. Anything short of that is not going to work. Will full approval happen this year? Maybe, but I think not. There are months of clinical studies for children ongoing now. Will vaccinating those under 18 increase the likelihood of herd immunity this year? Yes! It is a numbers game. Get to 65%, and you are dragging your foot over the line.

Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughin.com

 

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