As you read the headline to this article, it may have illicited laughter, skepticism, or doubt to the possibility of such an action being taken. Could a covid-19 vaccine be mandated? Is it legal? If done, how could such an action be carried out? These are some questions that have been coming up as of recent due to the coronavirus pandemic.
What may have been seen as an impossible feat at the start of this year is now becoming more of a talking point as more voices are bringing it up to the forefront. We’ve witnessed many strange things this year and a part of that has been the mindset of many to label those who disagree with the main narrative as threats to public health, unpatriotic for not cooperating, or even rationalizing that these people have some sort of mental illness, all for just disagreeing with the main view.
God forbid people look at various facts and data and use their critical thinking skills to draw a separate conclusion from what’s being fed to them. Although it seems that more people are jumping aboard the mandated covid-19 vaccine train, this may eventually prove to be unlawful or just not necessary (despite the attempts made to rationalize it as such). Now the same sleight of hand is being played with a mandatory covid-19 vaccine as the focal point.
The vaccines have yet to be produced and readied for distribution but some are already arguing for the idea that those who don’t take it are a danger to society as they’d allegedly be endangering the health of others.
If they aren’t mandated, the other option then which I’ve talked about in previous articles may just be to make the lives of those who refuse to take the vaccine as difficult as possible until they submit. This should bring to our attention the immunity or health passports that have been so often talked about this year.
It would essentially serve as a way to give freedom to those who comply and bar those who don’t out of society – until they do. This may sound far-fetched but so does everything that’s happened during the first half of 2020. Only God knows what’s in store for us for the remainder of the year.
Defeat COVID-19 by requiring vaccination for all. It’s not un-American, it’s patriotic
From USA Today: To win the war against the novel coronavirus that has now killed over 158,000 people in this country, the only answer is compulsory vaccination — for all of us. And while the measures that will be necessary to defeat the coronavirus will seem draconian, even anti-American to some, we believe that there is no alternative. Simply put, getting vaccinated is going to be our patriotic duty.
The reason: When an effective vaccine is available for COVID-19, it will only defeat the pandemic if it is widely used, creating “herd immunity.” It is important to note that, during an epidemic, there is no threshold above which the protection conferred by “herd immunity” cannot be improved. Thus, the more people who are immunized, the lower the risk for all of us, including those who are not vaccinated.
Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous, as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors.Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms, a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others.
So here’s what America must do when a vaccine is ready:
► Make vaccinations free and easily accessible.
► Exempt only those with medical contraindications to immunization. It is likely that more than one vaccine platform will prove effective (as was the case for polio vaccines) and, as a result, medical conditions that prohibit all COVID-19 vaccines will be rare.
► Do not honor religious objections. The major religions do not officially oppose vaccinations.
► Do not allow objections for personal preference, which violate the social contract.
How can government and society assure compliance with protective vaccines? Vaccine refusers could lose tax credits or be denied non-essential government benefits. Health insurers could levy higher premiums for those who by refusing immunization place themselves and others at risk, as is the case for smokers. Read More
Could employers and states mandate COVID-19 vaccinations? Here’s what the courts have ruled
From The Conversation: A safe and effective vaccine could end the coronavirus pandemic, but for it to succeed, enough people will have to get inoculated. Recent polls suggest that the U.S. is far from ready. Most surveys have found that only about two-thirds of adults say they would probably get the vaccine. While that might protect most people who get vaccinated, research suggests it may be insufficient to reach herd immunity and stop the virus’s spread.
As a law professor who has written about the legal questions around vaccination laws, employment discrimination and religious exemptions, I see four possible approaches that governments and employers can take to ensure enough Americans are immunized against COVID-19. Which ones are legal might surprise you.
The most intrusive policy would involve government mandating vaccination for all Americans, with the exception of those with a medical exemption. People are often surprised to learn that states would likely have the legal right to enforce such a rule.
In the 1905 landmark case Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a state criminal law that required all adult inhabitants of Cambridge to get a smallpox vaccine or be fined. The Supreme Court explained that an individual’s liberty rights under the U.S. Constitution are not absolute and the mandatory vaccination law was necessary to promote public health and safety. Read More
Prophetic Implications
My goal in writing this article isn’t to scare you or fear monger. I’m not trying to over-exaggerate or blow things out of proportions. My goal is to only report on what’s being talked about and make a case as to its biblical relevance (if any). As we’ve read, mandatory vaccines may not be feasible or may be deemed as unnecessary, this is a very likely scenario. However, this doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet, so to speak.
It may turn out that a mandatory vaccine may be the least of our worries. Once the vaccine comes out and is distributed, what I believe we may see is first an encouragement to take the vaccine and as time goes on the narrative will be pushed that those who don’t take it are threatening the health of others.
This would of course cause people to be shunned in society, be reported on, etc. We’re already seeing this with masks to the point where some have faced public harassment, injury, or were killed (or killed someone else) all due to not wearing a mask.
And as stated earlier, what would truly prevent society from moving into an immunity passport-type system? Although we may not see this come to fruition any time soon, imposing restrictions on those who refuse to take a vaccine or barring them from certain aspects of life until they do is still being put on the table as a possible action – and of course for the well being of society.
This brings to mind Revelation 13:16-17 where we’re told of a mark of the beast system that will ultimately come into place during the 7 year tribulation. Although I believe that once the vaccine comes out, there will be more people who will gladly and readily accept and take it in order to get back to some type of normal, so will people want to take the mark of the beast, it will not be forced and will be a free will decision wholly dependent on the individual.
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)
That decision, however, will have its consequences. Refusal will mean being barred from participating in society and certain death (by beheading), but acceptance carries an even steeper price to pay – certain damnation at the lake of fire (Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 14:9-11, Revelation 15:2-4, Revelation 20:4-6). I’m not arguing that this vaccine or immunity/health passport or any type of similar system is the mark of the beast.
What I am saying however is that it seems to me that the minds of people are being readied for this system and that this system is being put in place piece by piece today showing us the nearness of the tribulation. As usual, this should not scare us but should in fact give us joy as it points to our soon redemption. I encourage you to continue holding on to this truth especially at this strange time we find ourselves in. Maranatha!
Sources
- Defeat COVID-19 by requiring vaccination for all. It’s not un-American, it’s patriotic. (August 6th, 2020) – USA Today
- Could employers and states mandate COVID-19 vaccinations? Here’s what the courts have ruled (July 21st, 2020) – The Conversation
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