![]() ![]() Courts often assess harm to others or a society in cases involving religious practices and beliefs, which seem to go against what most members of society would choose. Disagreement is not a lawful reason to override a decision, Justice Binnie later noted (para. In his dissenting judgment, Justice Binnie stated, “The Charter is not just about the freedom to make what most members of society would regard as the wise and correct choice” (para. ![]() Manitoba (2009) involving a Jehovah's Witness girl who was assessed as a mature minor and wished to refuse a blood transfusion. ![]() We, as a society, must ask what are the beliefs and practices that we want to protect, even if it means protecting something with which we strenuously disagree. When considering mandatory vaccinations, it is important to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater. This, in turn, allows for the development of a strategy that avoids legal challenges, and, equally as important, is inclusive enough to not unnecessarily alienate people who are vaccine hesitant. It will allow for a precise calculation of how much flexibility we actually have, and when the risk of harm is too great. This information is crucial for the development of sound (and legally supportable) vaccination policies and practices. Better record-keeping will also give an accurate picture of where herd immunity stands in any given disease. This, too, offers an opening to overcome resistance. It is also possible that some people seek exemption unevenly – in other words, they may have an objection to a specific vaccine, but not to all. This brings us to an important recommendation made by Thomas and Flood (2020): there is an urgent need for better vaccination record-keeping that will tell us who has accessed vaccinations and who has not. But what is the magnitude of that increase and is it meaningful (i.e., an increase of 10 people or 100)? What is the tipping point for overall herd immunity, and how close do we come to that point considering the number of exemption requests currently being granted? This takes us back to the issue raised above – low immunization within a particular population creates an outsized risk outbreak but, nonetheless, it is important to know the numbers in order to understand the precise level of increased risk. Thomas and Flood (2020) note that the number of exemption requests continues to rise despite the education. ![]() It is true that in this era of “fake news” all data can be claimed as tainted, but this should not prevent the dissemination of data-based information that might move some people to a deeper understanding and a subsequent shift in their position. By better understanding the rationale behind their position, we are better able to meet their objections. “Philosophical objection” does not tell us much. There may be minor tweaks to the education that would open the door to greater information and ultimately persuade vaccine-hesitant people of the value in choosing to be vaccinated.Īlthough Thomas and Flood (2020) point out that the majority of vaccine exemptions do not seem to be religiously motivated, it is important to understand the constellation of beliefs and practices associated with vaccine hesitancy. It is possible that there are elements of the education that alienate the hesitators rather than engage them. It is important to consider to what extent that education has been developed with the resisting cohorts in mind and whether it has been prepared in collaboration with those within the alternative community who are vaccine positive. Thomas and Flood (2020) note that mandatory education for vaccine-hesitant people does not seem to be producing an effect. Only 2.5% of Ontario children receive non-medical exemptions, but as Thomas and Flood (2020) point out, they are clustered geographically in what they refer to as “alternative schools.” This, of course, increases the risk of disease outbreaks, and leads us to ask the following questions: What precisely are these alternative schools? Are they primarily religion-based, or is there some other commonality that inspires vaccine hesitancy? Moreover, are there cohorts of people within those alternative schools who are vaccine hesitant, and what is their demographic? If we wish to maximize the “persuasion” route rather than the “force” approach, it is vital that these details be understood. ![]()
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