An ethicist proposes that the unvaccinated come after the vaccinated for hospital admission
"University of Antwerp ethicist Patrick Loobuyck believes that unvaccinated people should be obliged to register at a vaccination centre, where they could then officially refuse the vaccine."
“They could then sign a document certifying that they are aware of the possible consequences,” he says in the Gazet van Antwerpen. If admitted to hospital, they would then not have priority over vaccinated people if beds run short and choices have to be made"
"According to the philosopher Patrick Loobuyck, making vaccination compulsory for everyone is “ethically difficult, because physical integrity is also important”. But there is an intermediate solution, in his view: obliging the population to go to a vaccination centre, just like compulsory attendance at the polls at election time."
"Hospitals are bearing the full brunt of the fourth wave of the pandemic in our country. Currently, the number of Covid patients in intensive care is close to 800, and the thousand mark is expected to be reached in mid-December. On Wednesday, Margot Cloet, managing director of Zorgnet-Icuro, the Flemish umbrella organisation of hospitals and care organisations, warned that choices will then have to be made as to which patients can be treated and which cannot be taken care of."
"Giving priority to vaccinated patients over the unvaccinated is a difficult ethical question, acknowledges Patrick Loobuyck, ethicist at the University of Antwerp."
"It is not the unvaccinated who are mainly responsible for this crisis. The main culprit is the government, which has failed to protect citizens and the functioning of hospitals”
"It is not the unvaccinated who are mainly responsible for this crisis. The main culprit is the government, which has failed to protect citizens and the functioning of hospitals. The pandemic has now been going on for two years, and yet our rulers continue to direct their policy mainly towards intensive care units. It is only when hospitals threaten to fill up that they take stricter measures. That is far too late,” he denounces. Patrick Loobuyck believes that the government should pick up better on signals from the front line – GPs – and already take measures on that basis."
"Compulsory registration"
"According to the Flemish philosopher, making vaccination compulsory for everyone is “ethically difficult, because physical integrity is also important”. But there is an intermediate solution, he says in the Gazet van Antwerpen: obliging the population to go to a vaccination centre, just like compulsory attendance at the polls at election time.
“If they still refuse the vaccine, you can have them sign a document stating that they are aware of the possible consequences,” he adds. One of these consequences could be that they would be barred from employment in the healthcare sector, or that “in an emergency situation as a Covid patient, they will not have priority over people who have been vaccinated”, Professor Loobuyck explains."
"Solidarity tax"
"“If someone does not turn up at the vaccination centre, the government could fine them,” he continues. “One could also consider imposing a solidarity tax on those who refuse vaccination. This money would be allocated directly to the healthcare sector,” the philosopher concludes."
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