Much Ado About Mandates

The market hates uncertainty, and it seems nothing has been more uncertain than when and how COVID-19 will be brought under control. The early stages of the pandemic were rife with mixed messages and a raft of misinformation spread on social media. But there was a strong general feeling that defeating the virus would depend on the rapid development and deployment of an effective vaccine.

Since Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer vaccine has been available under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for individuals 16 years of age and older. But an EUA is not the same as FDA approval. There were reports of sometimes serious side-effects. Once again, misinformation online helped fuel misgivings. For the record, here’s the bottom line on the vaccine’s safety from the Center for Disease Control’s website:

Cases of myocarditis [an inflammation of the heart muscle] and pericarditis [an inflammation of the lining outside the heart] in adolescents and young adults have been reported more often after getting the second dose than after the first dose of one of the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna. These reports are rare and the known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks.

For some perspective, one study found the incidence of myocarditis from COVID itself to be 400 times the risk posed by the vaccine*.

On August 23^rd of this year the FDA officially approved the Pfizer vaccine. Shortly thereafter the military mandated the vaccine for all service members. Then, on September 9^th, President Biden issued a mandate requiring vaccination for all employees of the executive branch, and for all federal contractors.

Moreover, he directed the Department of Labor’s OSHA to craft a rule, set to be issued as an Emergency Temporary Standard, directing all employers with more than 100 employees require their workers to be vaccinated, or failing that tested on a weekly basis (you can read all about it here). The rule is expected “soon” (whatever that means to the federal government).

While a majority of American workers approve of the mandate there has been some push-back. ABC issued a release in which they agreed, yes, getting everyone vaccinated was a good idea, but wanted input on the crafting of the OSHA rule. They also expressed a philosophical opposition to, “government mandates that undermine the desired policy outcome.”

Then there is a smaller group opposed to the mandate as an infringement on their individual liberties. While I can understand that point of view, vaccine mandates—in one form or another—have been with us for decades without causing the same outcry. Children are vaccinated for mumps and measles before attending school, vaccines are required before visiting some foreign countries.

A lot of the resistance, it seems to me, comes from a distrust of the government, and the government has certainly given us reasons to distrust it. But if working for a plumbing magazine 25 years has taught me anything it’s this:

First, you trust in science. Water flows downhill, steam wants to condense, and there are rules for how that happens you can use to make systems that actually work.

Second, trust the experts. If a master plumber tells you your boiler is on its last legs you had better believe him, even if you don’t know a lot about boilers yourself.

I’m no medical expert, but I’m convinced, and I’m vaccinated, and I hope that everyone else in the country who can get the vaccine, does. It’s the only way we’re getting past this.

*Source: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2021/08/weighing-the-risks-of-covid-vaccines-against-the-risk-of-the-covid-virus.html