File – WHO Director, Dr. Hans Kluge is pictured.(Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
The World Health Organization announced its hesitancy to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The organization’s European director, Dr. Hans Kluge, made the WHO’s stance known on a recent video presser. Dr. Kluge said such a sweeping move should only be used as a last resort.
“…Is to not mandate vaccination if you haven’t reached out first to the communities,” he stated. “Mandates around vaccination are an absolute last resort and only applicable when all feasible options to improve vaccination uptake have been exhausted.”
Although he claims vaccine mandates are effective in some cases, Dr. Kluge said they should not be used as a blanket policy to fight the virus. Context, the doctor stressed, is an important factor to consider before implementing such a measure. Dr. Kluge also warned governments against creating two classes of citizens based on vaccination status.
“Ultimately, mandates should never contribute to increasing social inequalities in access to health and social services,” he stated. “Any measure that may restrict a right or movement of a person, such as lockdowns or mandates, also needs to assure that mental health and wellbeing is cared for.”
Public backlash was another concern for the doctor. He asserted that mandates should be judged by their effect and public reaction rather than their intention.
“The effect that mandating vaccination could have on public confidence and public trust, as well as vaccination uptake, must be considered,” Dr. Kluge continued. “What is acceptable in one society and community may not be effective and acceptable in another.”
The doctor warned that forcing vaccinations could lead citizens to question its effectiveness by persuading them by force rather than reason.
🎥🔴 Watch LIVE as @hans_kluge and experts from WHO/Europe provide a situation update on #COVID19 in the European Region before answering questions from journalists https://t.co/5vHmDbxVgL
— WHO/Europe (@WHO_Europe) December 7, 2021
Joe Biden and New York Mayor Mayor Bill de Blasio, however, follow a different science from the WHO. The Biden administration is still attempting its federal vaccine mandate while New York City’s goes into effect on December 27.
Source: One America News Network
