Following the formal approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration and the expected approval of additional vaccines, Kent State University, on Aug. 27, 2021, issued a COVID-19 vaccine requirement.
At this time, the requirement covers all students, faculty and staff.
Overview
COVID-19 case numbers remain high and the winter period ahead will pose significant challenges of increased transmission and related pressure on the National Health Service. (This paper should be considered alongside the latest State of the epidemic report (September 2021).
Action is therefore needed across all sectors to ensure compliance with baseline COVID-19 mitigations, and it is vital to consider further targeted and proportionate measures that can reduce risk further. Vaccine certification is one such measure.
This paper sets out our proposals for a mandatory domestic COVID-19 vaccination certification scheme (the scheme) in advance of the Parliamentary debate and vote on 9 September.
We will continue to gather evidence from around the world on certification schemes. This will continue to inform our approach in Scotland. We will also publish a full assessment of the evidence for certification, based on the four harms model that we have used throughout the pandemic, in advance of the scheme coming into force.
Parliament is being asked on 9 September to vote on the principle and broad outline of a mandatory scheme. It will then be required to approve the regulations to be made under the Coronavirus Act 2020.
In line with our strategic intent to suppress the virus to a level consistent with alleviating its harms while we recover and rebuild for a better future', a COVID-19 vaccine certification scheme will aid us in reducing the rate and impact of transmission.
Research evidence indicates that being vaccinated reduces the risk that a person will become infected with the virus, and likely further reduces their risk of transmitting coronavirus. Ensuring only those who are vaccinated attend higher risk venues and events therefore directly reduces the risk of transmission.
Where someone does catch the virus, being vaccinated significantly reduces the likelihood of serious harm or death and in doing so alleviate pressure on the healthcare system.
As a result, certification provides a targeted and proportionate means to reduce risk while maximising our ability to keep open certain settings and events where transmission is a higher risk.
In addition, the need to be vaccinated is expected to encourage the remaining sections of the eligible population yet to be vaccinated to take up the offer of the vaccine.
The scheme will require a person seeking entry to certain venues and settings to show that they have been fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated means vaccinated with a MHRA recognised vaccine in line with the MHRA recommended number of doses for the vaccine used and two weeks has passed for the vaccine to take effect
Initially, the scheme will not permit a negative test result to be offered as an alternative to evidence of vaccination, but this will be kept under review. At this stage, we do not consider that this would be appropriate and, indeed, could undermine one of the policy aims of the scheme, which is to increase vaccine uptake. Also, it is important at this stage to prioritise PCR lab capacity for Test and Protect purposes and while promoting regular LFD tests is an extremely important aspect of our overall approach, further work would be required on an optimal approach to incorporating testing, including consideration of the appropriateness of self-testing in this context.
We are working with a range of stakeholders to finalise the design of the scheme. These stakeholders include local government, NHS Boards and businesses/representative organisations in sectors that will be required to implement a certification scheme.
We intend the scheme to be ready to go live on 1 October 2021. This will give businesses time to prepare and more people to get vaccinated. It will also mean the scheme being introduced at the same time as the permanent digital solution for vaccination certification.
We are proposing the following exemptions:
We are developing an exemptions approval process for medical exemptions. This will be finalised and published ahead of implementation.
It is estimated that fewer than 1 in 1,000 people (0.1%) of the population cannot be vaccinated for medical reason (distinct from those exempt due to age or participation in a clinical trial). Reasons may include medical contraindications such as severe allergic reaction to vaccine and those receiving end of life care.
Work is ongoing with vaccination experts, clinicians, Public Health Scotland, GP representative bodies, Data privacy and NHS Boards to finalise the process that will enable those who need an exemption to receive it as quickly as possible while minimising the additional workload for already stretched NHS services including GPs, and in a way that is compatible with the human rights of those who may be entitled to exemption.
The scheme will apply only in the following higher risk settings.
For live events, unseated includes events where some audience members are seated and some standing.Attendees means the number of people attending the event. For multi-day events or events with different time slots it is the number of people attending on any day or time slot. It does not include staff, contractors, performers or volunteers involved in the delivery of the event.
The scheme will be kept under regular review, with three weekly Parliamentary reviews. Any proposed changes to the settings of venues in which certification would apply will be brought back to Parliament for approval.
Nightclubs were not previously defined in the COVID-19 regulations, so the dictionary definition applied. However, there is now a need to define nightclubs and other analogous venues, as behaviours that were previously prohibited are now allowed in wider parts of hospitality (for example, after midnight alcohol, loud music, dancing, and close contact for long periods). We are working with stakeholders to finalise a definition that will ensure the intended public health benefit, but not result in market distortion or displacement.
We havebeen clear that certification will not be a requirement for public services or other settings that people have no option but to attend, such as retail. There will also be exceptions for premises being used for certain purposes, including worship, protest and certain business events that individuals are required to attend for work purposes.
The scheme will apply only to people attending the relevant premises/event as customers it will not apply to those working or performing at the premises/event, as they will be working under health and safety guidance and specific mitigations set by their employer.
The detail of the scheme will continue to develop in a way that takes account of the view of businesses in relevant sectors. However, it will broadly work in the following way:
People will be able to access the NHS Scotland COVID-19 Status app. This will include a persons vaccination record in line with the requirements for international travel. The App screen shows a QR code for each vaccination.
As is currently the case people unable to use the app will be able to request a secure un-editable paper record of vaccination, with enhanced security features such as thermodynamic ink to prevent forgery. This will also have a QR code.
The staff at a venue subject to the scheme will download a free QR code verifier app to a smartphone or device. This will be available for download in week beginning 13 September. Detailed guidance is being developed for venues on how to use this verifier app, and the guidance will have accompanying privacy notices. The guidance will be developed in consultation with relevant venues/businesses. There will also be options for venues to integrate the verifier functionality into their own systems as the source code is open source.
Venue staff check will check a customers QR code to ensure the record of vaccination is genuine.
As indicated earlier, there will also be a process to allow a person who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons to show a document confirming that they are exempt.
Under 18s will be exempt. As with other, already existing age based entry conditions, a venue might ask for proof of age.
We are working with other UK jurisdictions to ensure interoperability across the UK as well as considering how evidence of vaccination for people from outwith the UK can be verified.
During the course of October, the App will receive an update that will add in additional functions for domestic certification. In practice, this means that the app will have 2 sections one for international travel which will contain the 2D barcodes currently in use which have been designed to meet international travel requirements - and which will be useable for domestic settings from 1 October - and one specifically for domestic settings which will contain a single 2D barcode, confirming an individuals COVID-19 status as valid.
Mandatory vaccine certification will be introduced in regulations under the Coronavirus Act 2020 and supported by guidance. Relevant impact assessments, including an EQIA and BRIA, will be published.
Ministers must review the regulations at least every three weeks to assess whether any requirement in the regulations is still necessary to prevent, protect against, control or provide a public health response to the incidence or spread of infection in Scotland with coronavirus. As soon as Ministers consider the requirements to no longer be necessary for this purpose, they must be revoked.
We propose that the regulations will be drafted to impose a legal obligation on the person responsible for operating the business or venue to take all reasonable measures to restrict entry only to those fully vaccinated (unless exempt). We are also considering whether there is a need for offences with regard to the misuse of certificates by individuals.
We will publish guidance to help set out what reasonable measures would be proportionate in different settings (for example, what is proportionate on entry to a nightclub of 200 people may not be proportionate or possible in an event crowd of 60,000).
We are working closely and at pace with sectors to finalise a proportionate, effective and robust scheme for each setting before implementation. There are a number of operational and logistical issues which we are working through together. The sector-specific detail will be published in advance implementation.
All software, apps and paper copies of certificates will be free to use.
Businesses will be able to use an app free of charge to scan the codes used on all certificates. Businesses will require a hardware mechanism (such as mobile phones) to verify the certificates. Any additional staffing or infrastructure costs will be met by businesses. While we do not underestimate challenges for businesses, it is important to recognise that vaccine certification is intended to be a proportionate alternative to the risk of further periods of closure for higher risk venues.
Security of the COVID-19 certificates generated is critical. Security features on the App will include a process for user identification using suitable photographic ID, and user email verification. The certificates generated digitally on the App cannot be altered or changed.
The security of all COVID-19 certificates is aligned to the same standards used across the other 4 Nations for the generation of COVID-19 Certificates.
As part of the security of all certificates, the 2D barcodes (known as QR codes) have an expiry date and these dates are clearly displayed on the PDF downloads and paper copies. Once expired, users will have to request a further update to the certificate, either via the app or paper-based process. Expiry dates are used as part of the overall security of the system, and to help ensure that information is up to date.
In another blow to the Covidian left, Florida is winning
According to the latest reports, Florida has the lowest Covid-19 levels in the country, and we have to point out that Florida is also one of the freest states in the countrybucking mandates and authoritarian lockdowns entirely.
Meanwhile blue states seem to be struggling
Leftists everywhere are no doubt screaming and crying about thislike they always do about everything that agitates their mental condition.
Freedom wins, freedom always wins, and Florida is a shining example of thatwhich is why I am moving to the state next year.
Leftists can continue to wear 3 masks while they sit indoors attempting to gauge their gender identity on that particular day, but the rest of us are all moving on with our lives, and Florida is leading the charge.
Here are the latest reports:
Fox News reports:
DeSantis has been slammed by critics in the media since the start of the pandemic over his opposition to government-imposed mask and vaccine mandates.
In 2020, DeSantis was accused by a Democratic politician of going on a killing spree for opposing mask mandates and a Vanity Fair headline from September of this year referred to the governor as an angel of death.
At the same time Florida reported the lowest amount of new cases in the country per capita, coronavirus cases are surging in many states where strict lockdown orders were issued by Democratic governors.
Daily Mail had more details:
On Friday, the Sunshine State reported 1,393 new cases of COVID-19, roughly six cases per every 100,000 residents. The state also reported just one death in the past week.
By contrast, Michigan leads the nation in daily coronavirus cases per capita with a 7-day rolling average of 560 per 100,000 residents despite Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer imposing some of the harshest restrictions in the nation.
The Department of Defense (DoD), in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, has launched a program to provide COVID-19 vaccines to service members, retirees, and their families.
All eligible and authorized TRICARE beneficiaries can make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, as available, at a DoD vaccination site.
The availability of the vaccine may vary by location. Eligible TRICARE beneficiaries can make a COVID-19 vaccination appointment at a military hospital, clinic, or vaccination site. This includes US Family Health Plan (USFHP) enrollees. Visit the COVID-19 DoD Vaccine Appointments page to see DoD vaccination locations and what appointment tools each location is using.
You can also get the COVID-19 vaccine at:
The vaccine itself is offered at no cost, but there may be a cost based on your plan for an office visit or if you require follow-on care.
According to the CDC, a COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool in stopping the pandemic. It may be an effective way to lower your risk of contracting COVID-19. And it may help keep you from getting seriously ill if you do catch the virus. Compared to other variants, the Delta variant is more transmissible. Because of its highly transmissible nature, unvaccinated individuals are more likely to have severe disease and be hospitalized. >>Learn more
Who should get the vaccine?
The CDC and the DoD recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for all people 5 years and older.
Getting vaccinated also protects the health of the people around youespecially those who are atincreased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
What can I do now?
It's still important to follow CDC guidelines to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This includes:
The more steps you and your family can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the safer you'll be.
What can I do after I'm fully vaccinated?
As more people get vaccinated, you'll be able to visit friends and family safely. The CDC has issued new information about the kinds of activities you can do after you're fully vaccinated.
Are there risks?
The vaccines may cause side effects in some people, like sore muscles, feeling tired, or mild fever. For most people, these side effects will last no more than a day or two. Having these side effects doesn't mean you have COVID-19. If you have questions about how you're feeling after your shot, contact your provider or call the MHS Nurse Advice Line. It's rare, but if you have a severe allergic reaction, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency roomThe hospital department that provides emergency services to patients who need immediate medical attention.. A severe allergic reaction would usually occur within a few minutes to one hour after getting a dose of the vaccine.
The COVID-19 vaccines:
What should I do after receiving my first vaccine dose?
If you've already received your COVID-19 vaccine, you can sign up for v-safe. V-safe is a smart-phone based tool developed by the CDC, that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccine.Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.
Be Ready and Informed
Getting COVID-19 may offer some natural protection, but experts don't know how long this protection lasts. The risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating an antibody (immune system) response without having to experience sickness.
Researchers develop vaccines and therapeutics to prevent and treat diseases in stages. In Phase 1 Trials, researchers test an experimental drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time. In Phase 2 Trials, the experimental drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if its effective and to further evaluate its safety. In Phase 3 Trials, the experimental study drug or treatment is given to very large groups of people. Researchers confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the experimental drug or treatment to be used safely. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires manufacturers to submit their raw data for review. The FDA collects ad reviews safety, immune response, and efficacy data from the trial stages before it authorizes vaccines for use and distribution.
All members of the Active and Reserve Components, including the National Guard, are required to get the COVID-19 vaccine along with the list of other vaccines already required as part of individual medical readiness requirements. Each service will determine its own timeline for this requirement.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults of any age with certain underlying medical conditions, such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, heart conditions, among several others, are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Please talk to your doctor to see if you may qualify to receive the vaccine. Learn more about conditions that may increase your risk for severe illness.
COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to you regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 infection. However, if you are currently infected with COVID-19, you should wait to get vaccinated until after your illness has resolved and after you meet the criteria to discontinue isolation.
You may receive a questionnaire via email asking about your COVID-19 vaccine status. This is a valid survey from the DOD, which was also approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with the control number of 0720-0069.
You received this email because we dont have a record of your vaccination status. Responding to the questionnaire will help us shape how we support future vaccine logistics.
Please help us plan for future COVID-19 vaccine needs by responding to the survey within 3 days of receiving it.
The CDC recommends the pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5-11. If you are unsure if the vaccine is right for your children, talk to your provider and make them aware any medical conditions, including reactions to previous vaccines.
>>Learn more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:
>>Learn more.
The Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 vaccine is administered as a 2-dose series, 21-days apart. Each dose contains 10mg of the vaccine, which is one third the adult dose.
If your child has a history of a severe allergic reaction to a component of the vaccine, talk to your provider to determine if it is safe to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine.
Parents currently have the option to vaccinate their children age 5-11. Should you decide for your child not to receive it, it wont change your childs standard medical care.
For children 5 to 11 years old, the CDC recommends a pediatric dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. At this time, no other COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for this age group.
Yes. There is no difference between the adult and child vaccine card. When your child gets the first dose, you will get a vaccination card. This will include the date of initial dose as well as the date for the second date. Remember to bring the card when your child returns.
You may be able to use an online scheduling tool to book your COVID-19 vaccine appointment at a DoD vaccination site.
>>Learn more.
Online scheduling is available in North Conway, NH and Norway, ME.
School-based clinics are the most convenient way to vaccinate children aged 5-11. Learn More.
No appointments are required at our walk-in vaccination locations.
An international passenger arrives near a new rapid COVID-19 testing site for arriving international passengers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption
An international passenger arrives near a new rapid COVID-19 testing site for arriving international passengers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday in Los Angeles.
The fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus has now been reported in 50 countries and 19 states, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She added, "we expect that number to continue to increase."
States that have detected the variant range from Hawaii to Texas to Massachusetts. The reports are part of a new surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. that now tops 100,000 cases per day.
While officials and researchers are concerned about the transmissibility of the omicron variant, they also say it's too early to know what toll it might take in the U.S.
Experts say it will likely be weeks before meaningful data about patient outcomes will emerge from South Africa, which first reported the variant. The country has seen an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases in Gauteng Province, the epicenter of the outbreak.
In what could be a source of cautious optimism, the South African Medical Research Council recently said that over the past two weeks, the majority of patients in hospitals' COVID-19 wards have not required extra oxygen to breathe. The council also said that many of the omicron COVID-19 diagnoses arose from what is known as incidental findings like when a patient is tested after coming to the hospital for other reasons, like a surgery or a pregnancy.
There are also key differences in circumstances: in South Africa, for instance, only about a third of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated far lower than in the U.S.
Walensky said Tuesday that while the number of omicron cases is expected to rise in the U.S, the most recent data show that more than 99% of coronavirus samples that have been genetically sequenced showed the delta variant. She added that it is too early to know whether omicron will become dominant against delta or not.
Carney gets booster, warns 'people have let their guard down'
Gov. John Carney wanted to use the occasion of his Moderna COVID vaccine booster as an example for all Delawareans - wear masks indoors and get vaccinated, he said.
William Bretzger, Delaware News Journal
Though the omicron variant has yet to be confirmed in Delaware, the COVID-19 delta variant has led to a massive spike in cases with the state seeing about a 50% surge in cases in the last week.
This weekend, the state saw the highest number of new daily COVID-19 cases since January, according to state data. Hospitalizations have increased by 77% since Nov. 1, and the weekly average of positive tests is 8.5%, the highest its been since September.
None of this is rocket science, said Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of the Division of Public Health, during a Dec. 7 press briefing. Its time to double down.
DELAWARE'S PANDEMIC: Bayhealth, Beebe pausing COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees due to federal injunction
Following Thanksgiving, Delaware has seen a significant increase in the rate of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Health officials warned residents in late November to be cautious again as the country battles the emergence of the omicron variant.
Nearly all ZIP codes in Kent and Sussex counties are experiencing COVID-19 positivity rates of 10% or higher. Many of these areas are seeing low vaccination rates, Rattay said.
The highest case rate last week was among 18- to 34-year-olds. For several months, this high case rate has primarily been seen among school-aged children.
Its a critical time for children and adults to get their COVID-19 vaccinations, Rattay said, because its seen as the best and most effective way to fend off the virus.
MAP BELOW: Click on the map for detailed information. You may need to adjust the map to see all of thedata.
Clinical trials, Rattay said, found the vaccine to be more than 90% protective against the virus in younger age groups. There are also no lasting side effects.
WORKFORCE ISSUES: Delaware nurses say they are in a crisis. Many fear it will only get worse.
Rattay specifically raised concern for the number of COVID-19 cases among children and theirlower vaccination rates. Delaware is in the bottom half of all states in terms of pediatric vaccination rates.
Though children are experiencing lower rates of death and hospitalizations, many are still becoming very sick from COVID-19, Rattay said. Children are being hospitalized and dying from the virus. They can also suffer long-term effects from the disease.
Nine children were hospitalized within three days this month, she said.
Gov. John Carney urged Delawareans during the briefing to wear a mask while in public indoor settings, but said he will not mandate it at this time.
"The best way to do this is to encourage people to take the protective measures, he said. Sometimes you get more pushback by mandates.
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman.
As the rest of the world struggles to vaccinate adults in the face of a threat from a new coronavirus variant, China has embarked on an ambitious campaign that it says will give the country better protection against Covid-19: full inoculation of 160 million of its youngest citizens by the end of the year.
The campaign powered in part with red flower stickers, balloons and boxes of toys for children who step up to become what nurses call little inoculated warriors has gotten off to a fast start. In the first two weeks of the effort, which began in late October, 84 million boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 11, about half of the eligible population, received the first of two shots, according to the most recent government data.
By contrast, in the United States, 2.6 million children between ages 5 and 11, or about 10 percent of the eligible population, received one dose over roughly the same time period.
The push is part of Beijings unrelenting march toward herd immunity, the point at which enough people are immune to the virus that it cannot spread through the population. With less than three months before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Chinese officials are doubling down on that strategy. And with 1.1 billion adults already vaccinated, young people are seen as an important part of its success.
The campaign faces significant obstacles, including parental reluctance in a country with a checkered history of safety on childrens vaccines. The government insists that child inoculations are voluntary, but parents have described coming under pressure to get their children vaccinated.
When You Xun declined to have his 3-year-old son vaccinated in the city of Ningde, the boy was suddenly sent home from school. Urgent notice! Urgent notice! Please, parents of all the babies who havent had the Covid vaccines, come to the kindergarten now to take your child home, the message said.
Many parents rushed to have their sons and daughters inoculated, worried that they would not be allowed to attend school otherwise. Mr. You and his wife decided not to, fearing that the vaccine might not be safe for young people. After several days of silence from the kindergarten, he visited local authorities to complain about his sons apparent expulsion.
Officials told him that there was no rule forbidding unvaccinated children to attend class. So Mr. You took his son back to school the next day. From top to the bottom, it is a disguised pressure campaign to enforce vaccination, he said.
Though Chinese vaccines are generally considered safe, the country also has a history of administering spoiled shots and guarding any information about negative incidents.
In a 2018 scandal, possibly hundreds of thousands of children were injected with ineffective vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. And in 2013, 17 infants died after receiving a Chinese-made hepatitis B vaccine. While that vaccine has been widely used since, the authorities moved quickly to silence critics.
Herd immunity is a goal most countries have abandoned particularly with the emergence of new variants such as Omicron and Delta but one that China has set as a prerequisite for reopening its borders.
Their hope is that by increasing the vaccination rate, it will give them the confidence to open up in the future, said Yanzhong Huang, director of the Center for Global Health Studies at Seton Hall University.
Dec. 7, 2021, 6:36 p.m. ET
Getting there will be difficult, in part because the countrys vaccines appear to be less effective than their Western competitors. By relying solely on its current vaccines, China is unlikely to build this herd immunity, he said.
That has not stopped officials from working tirelessly to get vaccines into the arms of the countrys smallest citizens. Kindergarten teachers across the country have sent out personal appeals urging parents to hurry up and get their students vaccinated. Please respond to the national call to guide your child to take the initiative and actively get vaccinated, one education bureau wrote in a public letter to parents.
In the eastern city of Hangzhou, in the southern cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and in Beijing, kindergartens have sent out notices in private chat groups with parents suggesting that vaccination is required, according to interviews and messages reviewed by The New York Times. The parents are often asked to answer publicly whether their children have received a shot. If the parents decline, they are asked to submit in writing the reason for not getting their child vaccinated.
Responding to a request for comment, officials at the education bureaus in Guangzhou and Ningde said vaccination for children ages 3 to 11 was not mandatory. An official at the Guangzhou office said no directive had been issued to prohibit children without vaccines from attending school.
In June, China approved the use of its Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines in children between the ages of 3 and 17. But until late October, only children 12 and up were being given shots, with the exception of at-risk children who were younger.
New Covid treatments. Two Covid-19 pills, by Merck and Pfizer, should be available soon. These new treatment options may be just the beginning: Scientists say we will need an arsenal of drugs to deploy against new variants especially if those foes erode the protection of existing vaccines.
Though limited data has been provided, the two vaccines were approved based on Phase 1 and 2 trials showing them to be safe for children. The National Health Commission has said the safety and effectiveness of the Chinese vaccine for young children does not differ significantly from that for older children and adults.
Still, some parents are uneasy.
On Nov. 5, Nicolas Zhang got a message in the chat group he shares with other parents from his 5-year-old daughters kindergarten class in the southern city of Shenzhen. The school informed the parents that their children were required to get vaccinated, Mr. Zhang said. He and his wife, who are both vaccinated, hesitated.
After massive vaccinations in our country, how many of them have had adverse reactions? said Mr. Zhang, 35. There is also no public media to do the follow-up, nor any government department to deal with it publicly.
China is the worlds last zero-Covid holdout, and officials have shown no willingness to change course. Cities of millions of people continue to be locked down during minor outbreaks; tourist sites like Shanghai Disneyland have been shut down to carry out on-the-spot testing. People who lie about infections, hide symptoms or try to escape quarantine do so under threat of prison.
This is about the collective force, so that if you dont comply you will be left behind. Your kids will be looked down on by the community and their teachers, said Bei Wu, a professor of global health at New York University and an expert in Chinas public health policy.
Despite the lingering doubts of parents like Mr. You and Mr. Zhang, China will probably succeed in getting most of its youngest citizens inoculated by the end of the year. The authorities have galvanized nurses, doctors and community health workers to convince every parent that their child should roll up a sleeve not only for their own health, but for the good of the country.
The ruling Communist Party has pointed to the countrys low Covid-19 numbers fewer than 5,000 people have died as evidence that Chinas authoritarian model is superior to the rest of the world, even as its borders remain closed and ordinary citizens find their personal freedom severely restricted during outbreaks.
What we need is collective freedom, social freedom and national freedom, Zhong Nanshan, Chinas top disease expert, said. Only with these freedoms can we have individual freedom.
