United States’ top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci on Wednesday said any future coronavirus vaccine would not be mandatory for the general public in the America.
He, however, said that states can make it obligatory for some groups.
‘You can mandate [the vaccine] for certain groups of people like health workers, but for the general population you can’t,’ he said.
Fauci, who was speaking at a video conference organised by the George Washington University, added that at the National Institutes of Health, health workers need to have a flu shot before they can treat patients.
Making the vaccine mandatory in the US is unlikely because of anti-vaccine sentiments in the nation coupled with a decentralised system of government.
However, states can make certain groups such as children take the shot. Vaccination for diseases such as measles is obligatory although some are exempted owing to medical or religious reasons.▰
AFP
