Governor Phil Murphy indicated that he would not make it mandatory to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey. But when asked about it, the governor didn’t rule out the possibility, saying instead that he hopes people get it out of their own volition.
“This is an adult, non-pregnant person vaccine,” Murphy said. “I would hope that people realize overwhelmingly it’s safe and it works and they come to that of their own free will.”
Health experts estimate that around 75% of the population would need to be vaccinated to achieve a significant level of herd immunity. But recent surveys found that many New Jersey residents – 60% of Republicans, 20% of Democrats – say that they do not intend to get the vaccine. Many are worried about the safety of the vaccines, concerned that the speed at which they were developed may have compromised safety. Experts say that, despite the rushed process, no steps were skipped in the trials, and they are confident that the vaccines are safe.
If Governor Murphy ends up making the vaccine mandatory, he likely won’t be the first to do so. In New York, legislation is being heard that would require everyone who can to receive the vaccine, and it is expected that multiple governors will make it mandatory to be inoculated to the virus.
The FDA’s VRBPAC had a meeting yesterday. They recommended that EUA be granted to the Pfizer vaccine. EUA means that a vaccine or other product can be used even though the product has not been licensed. Now it is up to the FDA to grant the EUA if they feel the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.
One of the criteria for granting an EUA is that there is no alternative medicine or product that can be used to combat the illness. This may explain why Ivermectin and Hydroxy has been disparaged.
At this meeting, a Pfizer rep said that they hope to eventually give the vaccine to children five years and under, after they give to the five to eleven year old category.
I would not want my kids vaccinated against Covid because of many reasons, mainly because it has not been tested extensively enough. Maybe if it had 50 years of testing with no adverse side effects I would think about it. I don’t think Covid is worse than the flu and I wouldn’t give my kids a flu shot. The best thing to staying healthy is boosting one’s immune system with proper nutrition