COVID-19 vaccine, mandatory or individual choice?

HUNTLEY – Mandatory versus individual choice for the COVID vaccine has become a hot topic on the social networks but as we close in on the vaccine rollout, you can be sure mandatory versus choice will generate even more heat in 2021. Hot topics are generally reserved for controversial issues and the question of a mandatory vaccine is controversial. The divide is obvious in the private sector where some individuals call for a mandatory vaccine; others either are strongly opposed to taking the vaccine or wish to wait until more information is known about human reaction. An argument by those in favor of a mandatory vaccine believe this presents the strongest chance we as a society will significantly reduce the odds of contracting coronavirus.  My Huntley News sought reaction to mandatory/choice in schools, nursing homes, travel, big business, and the medical community.  Not all contacted responded possibly because of the controversial nature of a mandatory vaccine.

For Huntley School District 158, the administration and school board recognize mandatory immunizations are dictated by the State. Dan Armstrong, district director of communications and public engagement, said District 158 Huntley has not yet had any indication about what the State may look to do in the future.

“At this stage, we are monitoring the larger discussions about this broader topic, but nothing concrete has been discussed at the local level,” Armstrong said.

District 158 parents and their kids have lived through what’s been more or less a roller coaster where some children were at home with Zoom sessions or based on their age, partly in school and partly at home as in a hybrid system, then back home for remote learning because of spikes in coronavirus.  If the only answer to keeping children in school is a mandatory or CDC recommended vaccine, how will Huntley’s parents react?

My Huntley News looked at schools first because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a long list of recommended childhood vaccines including DTap (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b). A COVID vaccine could potentially join the CDC vaccination schedule. Maybe people will eventually see a COVID vaccine as just another vaccine among many. This of course is speculation and that’s all we have right now because either very few expected a vaccine so soon or they’ve wanted to hold off diving into the controversy between mandatory and individual choice.

Illinois is one of the states allowing parents to turn aside mandatory vaccinations on religious grounds but they don’t have an exemption on personal or moral grounds. Children are generally not considered high risk and probably won’t receive the COVID-19 vaccine until the high risk groups are first offered the vaccine. This may give school boards and parents more time to read accounts on how those receiving a COVID-19 vaccine have physically responded to the vaccine. It’ll also give parents more time on social networks to read comments and see whether the medical community in other parts of the country are hearing anything that may bring attention to the safety and health of vaccine recipients.

Hesitation over the COVID-19 vaccines may be because some people were not comfortable with the speed in which vaccines were developed and presented. Lindsey Salvatelli of the McHenry County Department of Health wants the public to know the health department is in the process of developing information to share about the safety of vaccines, especially the COVID vaccines.  As to whether the vaccine should be mandatory for health workers, students, and others, the health department believes it’s best to redirect to the specific organizations, “much like whether or not an organization mandates its employees to receive an annual flu shot, it’s not our decision to make,” Salvatelli said.

In Kane County, Health Department Interim Executive Director Kathy Fosser feels anticipation over the vaccine is significant. “It’s critical the Kane County Health Department and our distribution partners stay focused on preparing to efficiently distribute and administer vaccines to those who are included in the first priority group.  This has to happen first before the vaccine will be accessible to the public due to limited availability once vaccines are approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”

The staff at Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley will spend time and energy explaining the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine to residents, family members and team members. Administrator Megan Benzel is encouraging everyone to discuss the vaccine with their physician “to see if this is right for them based on their medical history.”

Asked specifically where Heritage Woods and White Oaks at Huntley stands on the issue of mandatory versus individual choice, Benzel said, “We will not be mandating our residents or employees to have this vaccine administered as a criteria of their residence or employment with us.”

The Village of Huntley is monitoring reports and discussions on the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. Huntley Police Chief Robert Porter indicated the specifics of the roll-out plan to provide the vaccine to first responders and village employees had not yet been determined.

“At this point, there are no immediate plans to make the immunizations mandatory for our police officers or village employees,” Porter said.

Qantas Airlines has already set the pace for airlines announcing their passengers must have evidence of receiving a vaccine.

Huntley Travel Managing Owner Bernice Bakley is watching how the airlines react to passengers and a COVID-19 mandatory vaccine.

“The airlines will need to work on the legalities of it but I’m sure Qantas will not be the only airline to possibly take this stand.”  Bakley knows many airlines have a long list of people on their no fly list. She refers to these individuals as failing to comply with the mask mandate. “If you want to travel, you will have to abide by the rules of the airline, hotel, and attractions you visit,” Bakley said.

Bakley is not sure whether airlines have worked out the details on how travelers will show proof they’ve received the vaccine.

“I believe business and leisure travelers will eventually have some type of health certificate that they will show to prove their health.  Many destinations that are open for business require a negative COVID test. You’d show the test results to a representative of the airline prior to departure,” Bakely said. “The test must have been administered within 72 hours of travel.”

Several hospital systems in northern Illinois are preparing to begin a vaccination program for their staff in the next couple of weeks.  As to whether these hospital systems are discussing a mandatory vaccine, they are not moving in that direction right now. Instead, they are looking at which members of their staff to go first for the vaccine. Northwestern Medicine with area hospitals in Huntley, Woodstock, and McHenry is not making the vaccine mandatory at this time for physicians, nurses, or staff, according to Michelle Green, media relations manager.