https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/five-reasons-why-my-body-my-choice-doesnt-work-vaccines
Five reasons why ‘my body, my choice’ doesn’t work for vaccines
With several countries making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for health workers, teachers and other frontline staff, anti-vaccination protesters have co-opted the feminist slogan “my body, my choice” from reproductive rights and bodily autonomy movements. Here’s why that argument doesn’t work for vaccines.
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It threatens the legitimacy of reproductive rights movements
These movements call for reproductive rights for people who may want to avoid pregnancy or who might want to terminate a pregnancy. These movements are linked to activism over bodily autonomy, calling for young people – especially girls – not to be forcibly married as children (who cannot provide consent), or coerced into sexual relationships. Not only are these rights enshrined in the International Declaration of Human Rights and have been hard-won in many countries, but in many parts of the world, these rights are still being fought for, sometimes at the cost of human lives.
There is an argument from a human rights perspective for the freedom from harm caused by others, an equivalent argument for why it is illegal to drink and drive.
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Free-riding or relying on others to get vaccinated is unfair
Ensuring that as many people get vaccinated as possible – to try and reach herd immunity – is essential in reducing cases and deaths, stopping the spread of the virus, and providing protection to immunocompromised people who cannot get the vaccine and rely on others getting vaccinated to stop the spread of disease. In addition, there are millions of people in low- and middle-income countries who want to be vaccinated but don’t yet have access. People may not want to be vaccinated for fear of side effects or believe that because they are young and healthy they are not at risk, reassured that others around them are. But the concept of doing something for the collective good breaks down if people start to make decisions based only on their individual beliefs.
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Not getting vaccinated wreaks collective havoc
‘My body, my choice’ is an activist rallying call referring to individual health choices, centring on the bodily autonomy of the person. These choices (with the exception of abortion that could affect the emotional well-being of the other potential parent) don’t affect anyone else. In the midst of a pandemic that has killed 4.5 million people so far, choosing not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when you have safe and effective vaccines available clearly has major implications for the health of others, especially vulnerable people who may not be able to get the vaccine themselves. Thus, there is an argument from a human rights perspective for the freedom from harm caused by others, an equivalent argument for why it is illegal to drink and drive.