Hastings Center president Mildred Solomon responded to recent polls showing that 30% of adults are not willing to be vaccinated against Covid, possibly delaying herd immunity and the pandemic’s end. Solomon told the Highlands Current that widespread vaccine resistance is a sign that “we’ve lost our sense of responsibility for each other.” She added: “We focus so much on individual rights that we are forgetting about care and concern for others. People are waving a liberty flag, but there’s not much freedom in being terribly sick.” Read the article. Solomon answers questions about herd immunity in “Current Conversations." Listen here.
 
Health passports documenting Covid vaccination or immunity are in development in New York and other states and in use elsewhere; what ethical issues should guide their use by employers, travel companies, and other businesses? In an interview with BTN, a business publication, Hastings Center director of research Josephine Johnston said that companies need to consider questions of equity, making sure that all employees have equal access to vaccines and that there are exceptions in place for people who are unable to get vaccinated for medical reasons. And, until more is known about how long vaccines can prevent infection and transmission, preventive measures such as masks remain essential. “Vaccines are not the only layer of protection, so it makes sense not to lay all your eggs in that basket,” she said.  Read the article.