Argumentative Essay: Compulsory Covid-19 Vaccinations

Argumentative Essay: Compulsory Covid-19 Vaccinations

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, whether vaccinations should be mandatory for everyone has become a hot topic of debate. While some argue that mandating vaccinations violates personal freedom and autonomy, others believe it is necessary to ensure public health and safety. In this essay, I will say that vaccinations for COVID-19 should be made mandatory for everyone. I will use two sources to support my argument: “Vaccine Mandates in the Time of COVID-19” by Jamison Chung, Aaron Kaufman, and Brianna Rauenzahn, and “The Ethics of Selective Mandatory Vaccination for COVID-19” by Bridget M. Williams.

One of the main arguments favoring mandatory vaccinations for COVID-19 is that it is necessary to protect public health. As Chung et al. (2021) note, the COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed millions of lives worldwide, and vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the disease. By mandating vaccinations, governments can ensure that a large percentage of the population is protected, which can help reduce the number of infections and deaths. As noted by Chung et al. (2021), in the absence of a cure or universally effective treatment, vaccination is the most effective tool to contain the spread of the virus. In this sense, vaccination is a public good that benefits everyone. It protects the vaccinated individual and those around them, particularly vulnerable groups more susceptible to severe illness or death from the virus. Therefore, mandatory vaccination programs are necessary to protect the public’s health and safety. Williams (2022) also argues that selective mandatory vaccination can be justified for public health as long as it is designed to promote the greatest good for the most significant number of people.

Additionally, obligatory vaccinations for COVID-19 would lessen the spread of the virus immensely. The vaccine is very efficacious in stopping severe sickness and hospitalization, and by extension, it eases the burden on healthcare systems. Mandatory vaccination has been employed successfully to prevent the spread of contagious diseases and can further prevent the spread of COVID-19. An article issued by Chung et al. (2021) contends that obligatory vaccination is essential to attain herd immunity, which is vital in containing the spread of the virus (Chung et al., 2021). Herd immunity transpires when enough individuals are immune to a disease that cannot spread fast within a population. This can be accomplished through vaccination and natural immunity, but the former is the adequate way to reach herd immunity. Mandatory vaccination ensures that a considerable portion of the population is vaccinated, lessening the spread of the virus and safeguarding those who cannot get vaccinated.