Mandating Vaccination

Will the Singapore Government do that?

Well, it has in the past.

In 1962, the Singapore government passed a law making Diphtheria immunisation mandatory for children under 1. 

Prior to that, diphtheria imunisation had been available for 12 years and parents could voluntarily choose to immunise their child. 

However, the take-up rate was low and not enough to protect our children. 

And diphtheria was killing our children. I believe the fatality rate was about 5% of those infected. 

And it was preventable!

And the immunisation was free!

So, driven to desperation, when moral suasion and soft sell didn't work, the Singapore government resorted to legislating the problem away.

Then.

60 years later... today?

I've seen some comments on social media where anti-vaxxers or the vaccine-hesitant had said, if the govt is so sure about the safety of the vaccine and the benefits, then why don't they make it mandatory? 

They seem to be taunting the govt to act by decree.

Vaccine-hesitancy and resistance, and outright anti-vaccination have slowed vaccination rates in the US and likely other Western Democracies. There are also some suggestion that vaccination are also slowing in China, but that place is so opaque, there is no reliable sources to confirm that. Just biased ones.

Vaccine Passports

The idea of "vaccine passports" is not new. In the past, travellers had to show proof that they have been vaccinated against smallpox (or other diseases). This ended in 1981, when smallpox was eradicated. 

Even now, as the UK lifts all restrictions, because their PM says, "If not now, when?", the US has issued a travel advisory for travel to the UK. 

Now, the whole world is closing their borders to travellers, which is causing difficulties and hardship. And of course, confining would-be tourists to their own countries. Which is fine if you are a resident of Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe (EU) and the country (or union) is so big, you can have a holiday without leaving the border.

In Singapore, you are more limited in where you can go for staycation because small island nation. 

And it's not just about travel. Even our normal activities are being hampered - social gatherings are restricted. Dining in at restaurants are (currently as at 26th July) disallowed. You can't even sit down at a coffee shop to have a drink!

And if you are being "inconvenienced", what about the hawkers and those in the F&B industry?

Their livelihood has been curtailed.

Of course we can go the Boris Johnson route and just lift all restrictions and trust to the "good sense" of the people to act responsibly. "If not now, when?"

Well. a limited "experiment" of sorts was carried out in Singapore: The KTV patrons. 

That worked out as well as could be expected.

And subsequently, Singapore returned to Phase 2, with dining-in completely restricted again!

Why? Asked some Singaporeans? Aren't we vaccinated? Doesn't that mean we're protected? Why do we have to go back to Phase 2 restrictions?

Because while we have a high level of vaccinations, we do not have enough people vaccinated to have herd immunity yet. (Less than 50% with full vaccinated protection as at 26 Jul 2021.)

So, yes. It's a matter of time til the government mandates vaccination. For now because the vaccine is being allowed under interim authorisation for emergency therapeutic products, it has to be voluntary - each person weighing the risk of getting Covid, and the risks of getting a vaccine.