Vaccine Mandates Can t Stop Covid s Spread – WSJ

The Covid-19 pandemic has spurred a remarkable stream of scientific investigation, but that knowledge isn t translating into better public policy. One example is a zealous pursuit of public mask wearing, a measure that has had, at best, a modest effect on viral transmission. Or take lockdowns, shown by research to increase deaths overall but nonetheless still considered an acceptable solution. This intellectual disconnect now extends to Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The policy is promoted as essential for stopping the spread of Covid-19, though the evidence suggests it won t.

Mandates infringe on personal autonomy, which can lead to political strife and unintended consequences, but they have value in some situations. In general, however, wise policy making respects the intrinsic value of personal autonomy and seeks the least burdensome path to achieve social gains.

via www.wsj.com

Vaccine mandates are like devotion to relics during the Middle Ages, but quite possibly less effective. I believe in both vaccines and relics, just to be clear.