Do You Think It Should Be Compulsory for Care Workers to Have the Covid Vaccine?

Golfforall The people who are being cared for and who want the vaccine will be protected by their own vaccination. Enforcing vaccinations is unethical.

awebs10692 Pretty sure we all know that that none of the vaccines are 100% effective ?

So an infected care worker (who are unaware they have COVID) may only pass on the virus to , say , 5% -10% of their charges . Personally I would say that was unethical ! Have you really thought it through ?

Golfforall Have you really thought it through?

awebs10692 Yes I have , I get it that you are anti vax , that is your human right of course . I also believe that it is the human right of care home residents to be cared for by staff who are not infectious . These residents in general cannot pick and choose who cares for them and by definition are very vulnerable .

It is therefore incumbent on the Care home and staff to ensure that no infection reaches their "guests" . What is the simplest way to ensure that ?

Would you stay at a hotel that proudly boasts that none of it's staff are vaccinated , and never will be ?

Golfforall "I get that you are anti vaxx". No I'm not. I'm pro vaccine and pro science. You are incredibly patronising.

Golfforall Let's imagine this scenario. I know the question was about care workers but imagine that all NHS staff had to take the vaccine too.

A surgeon with 20 years experience doesn't want the vaccine. Should she be forced to take it, or should she be fired? Considering that the surgeon will have taken regular covid tests and wears PPR in a sterile environment, and the patient has been vaccinated? Should she lose her job and deprive the NHS of an experienced surgeon?

I personally wouldn't care if hotel staff hadn't been vaccinated, as long as all other measures were being taken. If the hotel boasted about the fact then I wouldn't stay there because that would be a pretty strange advertising campaign lol.

I would care however if I lived in a world where people are forced to take any form of medicine. Where people have to prove to one another they've had it before they can earn money. If we allow this practice to start who knows where it will end?

awebs10692 Think you will find that all surgeons are required to take the Hepatitis jab (and it has been such for many years ) . So maybe not a good example ? You haven't thought it through , have you ?

I think we are past the stage where the jab could be considered "risky" ? Maybe the websites you visit are still out of date (or prefer not to update ? ) .

If we try hard enough , or choose not to exercise our own intellect we can always find a wacky website to support our views (from wherever they originally came from ? ) .

Ever taken the pill ? or aspirin for a headache, vitamins etc (all of which come with health warnings and are far more dangerous than the jab ) .

Are you a conspiracy theorist ? But all those theories are wearing a bit thin month by month .

I agree that care workers shouldn't be sacked because they don't want the jab , but they should be educated about the risks they could share and for prospective employees it should be a mandatory requirement .

Then I suppose it all depends on where we find ourselves ? The take up has been low in certain areas of the country (lack of information , explanation ?) but suddenly when the threat has become real (and local) people are queuing round the block to get their jab .

It's a good discussion to have , maybe a bit of research may lead you to consider further . However I think most folk now accept (some reluctantly ) that the jab not only protects the recipient (obviously ) but protects the rest of society from onward transmission .

In essence you are saying that you are relying on the tens of millions of us who are vaccinated to protect you from COVID ? Fair enough , you have that choice - but most of the residents of care homes do not have that choice .

Golfforall Mate, again with the patronising. Is it that hard to communicate without resorting to personal attacks?

You are making a lot of assumptions and projecting things you have heard about anti vaxers on to my comments. I for one dont visit wacky websites and I'm not a conspiracy theorist. My brother in law is a ENT surgeon, my sister is a care worker who caught covid at work back last year, and I myself study natural science at university, so as you'd imagine 've had many conversations about covid. I have done plenty of research on the topic so I'm well aware of how it all works. Also, I didn't say I'm not getting vaccinated.

As for the hepatitis vaccine, the vaccines are offered but they are not an absolute requirement. There are work arounds for staff who haven't been vaccinated. Same with the TB vaccine. For example they may be restricted from caring for specific patients.

I know conspiracy theorists and I find communicating with them so difficult. Some of the theories out there are insane and damaging.

My stance is this: Patients who want to be vaccinated get vaccinated, same with staff. Staff who are not vaccinated must wear full PPE and be tested regularly. In this environment, risk would be minimised and workers retain their rights.

It's easy to assume that everyone who doesn't think like you is a crazy conspiracy theorist, or selfish, etc etc. But that's not the case.

Don't think "forcing" was part of the discussion , nor was sacking . It should be a requirement if you wish to enter any health profession . I presume you have the same views re the Pill , or Aspirin , vitamins etc which many of us take without a second thought (all of which are far more dangerous than the jab ) .

Golfforall If they make vaccines compulsory for health workers (or anyone) then yes that is forced imo. I never said anything about sacking? Your also presuming from my comment that I'm a anti vaxer, same as you have presumed the above poster is too. Im not. Infact I'll be getting my second jab of Astra on Sunday, so your comment about pills etc is just daft. Getting the vaccine was a decision I made MYSELF after originally being hesitant. I do not think it's a good idea to pressure, guilt trip or make compulsory / force people to into taking ANY medicine or drugs they aren't comfortable taking. It's a dangerous road to venture down & frankly criminal.