Should We Be Concerned About Vaccine Mandates?

As we near the close of summer, we are all gearing for an in-person fall - return to school, larger social gatherings, the economy opening further, and more.

With the transition, the pressure to vaccinate is increasing. Numerous vaccine mandates are being imposed by governments, organizations, and institutions alike.

In this issue of COVID Sense, we outline some items to think about when considering whether these mandates are good for our individual and collective health.

Are Vaccine Mandates Necessary?

It is now well established that the only people who are at risk of serious disease from COVID 19 are the elderly, those with major illnesses, and those living in shared living facilities like long term carecentres (LTCs).

Healthy people under 70 years old, living and working in the wider community have a low risk of getting seriously sick, or dying from COVID.

For those who might be at risk of serious illness, there are now a number of inexpensive, multi-drug therapies that, when administered early, can avert major sickness and death in most people.

On top of that, it is now clear that anyone who has recovered fromeven a mild COVID infection has long-lasting immunity that is broad enough to handle variants.

So if those in the wider community are at little to no risk of serious illness from COVID, treatment is readily available, and the COVID-recovered have long-lasting protection, then do we need vaccines in general and mandates in particular?

Do Vaccine Mandates Make Sense?

COVID 19 vaccination mandates are rooted in the claim that vaccines are effective and prevent transmission. If true, then anyone who wants protection can be vaccinated. So, why are mass vaccination programs necessary?

Some would argue that mass vaccination is needed to reach herd immunity, which then will inhibit transmission of the virus the vulnerable. Experts say that if a vaccine is 90% effective, 55% of the population will need to get vaccinated to halt the spread of the virus.

In Ontario, 82% of eligible people have now undergone voluntary vaccination including vulnerable persons, so in theory no one should be at risk. If this is the case, do mandates make sense?

Are Vaccine Mandates Reasonable?

In order for vaccine mandates to be considered reasonable, we would need an accurate way of measuring infection.

The main test used to date in the pandemic response is the PCR test, a test which detects genetic fragments of the COVID 19 virus in tested individuals.

However, a recent article published in the Lancet, outlines the main limitation of this test which is that it is unable to distinguish between active and prior infections; a limitation that is now acknowledged by the CDC.

If we can’t reliably gauge infectivity, is it reasonable to mandate vaccination to prevent infection?

Are Vaccine Mandates Able to Stop Infection?

The most reliable way to prove that something prevents infection or is “effective” is to test it in a randomized trial compared to a placebo.

The mRNA vaccines were tested in healthy adults for 2.5 months to see if they could lower infection rates. As reported in NEJM, both the BioNTech and the Moderna vaccines were considered highly effective as they lowered infection rates by about 95% relative to placebo.

However, what many people don’t realize is that the absolute benefit offered by these vaccines was less than 1.5%.

What is also concerning is that PCR tests were used to measure infection in these studies.

When the results were analyzed, independent of PCR status, the trials showed that 2 doses of the vaccine resulted in a 40% net increase inCOVID-like symptoms for vaccine recipients compared to people in the placebo arm who actually contracted COVID.

Apart from the PCR test, the vaccines were also unable to reduce severe disease, the need for medical attention, the rate of life threatening events, or death.

Another factor to consider is that the studies were not designed to show whether the vaccines reduced transmission, and now both the Vaccine Advisory Group and the CDC acknowledge that vaccines don’t stop viral spread.

So if the vaccines cause sickness and don’t stop the spread of COVID19, is it reasonable to require vaccination?

Are Vaccine Mandates Able to Prevent Lockdowns?

Some argue that vaccine mandates are necessary to ensure high vaccination rates and avert the need for a fourth lockdown.

However, if this were true, then vaccination would have prevented the recent surges seen in UK and Israel, two of the most highly vaccinated countries in the world.

If mass vaccination can’t prevent surges, which threaten potential lockdowns, are vaccine mandates necessary?

Are Vaccine Mandates Safe?

If we are to mandate vaccination we need to be 100% confident that itwon’t harm anyone.

This is why vaccines are extensively tested for up to 10 years and assessed against placebo in randomized trials prior to widespread use.

The COVID 19 mRNA vaccines were compared to placebo in healthy volunteers for only 2.5 months before being being used in the broader population.

Even in that very short time, two doses of the Moderna vaccine caused more than half of recipients to get so sick that it interfered withor prevented them from carrying out their daily activities.

The trials also did not include people who were COVID recovered, immunocompromised, had major illnesses, or the frail elderly.

It would be reasonable to conclude that sick or elderly people would be more affected than healthy people by the vaccine and there is no proof that the vaccines would not harm groups that were not studied.

To determine the safety of the vaccines in the wider population, health authorities have relied on vaccine tracking systems. It is well known that side effects are under reported in these systems.

In fact a Harvard Pilgrim Study concluded that even the VAERS system, one of the best in the world, only captures between 1% and 10% of side effects.

And yet VAERS has been recording unprecedented rates of serious injury and death from COVID vaccines.

When adjusted for the highest level of under reporting, it is possible that the COVID 19 vaccines have been associated with 500,000 deaths, 500,000 life threatening episodes, and 400,000 permanent disabilities.

On top of that, because the vaccines have only been in use for a short time and because the tracking systems aren’t good at detecting long-term effects, we have absolutely no way of proving that these vaccines won’t cause harm long-term.

So if we know that vaccines have been proven to increase COVID-like symptoms, have not been proven safe in many people, have been linked with serious harm and death, and have not been proven safe long-term, can we mandate their use in good conscience?

Are Vaccine Mandates Legal?

Canada is a free society and we have the right to medical privacy, informed consent, freedom of movement, and bodily autonomy. These rights are protected under the Nuremberg Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canadian Law.

For a government to mandate vaccination they would have to ensure that it did not violate the rights of its citizens or the laws of the land.

Nicholas Wansbutter, a criminal lawyer, explains how these mandates not only violate of our rights and freedoms but could be considered assault under Canadian law.

Are Vaccine Mandates Wise?

These are unprecedented times. We’ve all experienced suffering and loss over the last year and a half, and we certainly want this pandemic to end as soon as possible.

However, we should think carefully before giving government unilateral authority in any area of our lives.

Our constitution and our laws have been put in place to foster the conditions for human flourishing, and protect us from the aggression of other citizens as well as from government overreach and abuse, as seen in the recent residential school debacle.

Given the influence politics and greed exert over health care, is it wise to cede our bodily autonomy and other human rights to unelected health officials who are exerting power they do not rightly possess?

What Can You Do To Stop Vaccine Mandates?

If you’re concerned with the the implementation of vaccine mandates and what they mean for our individual and collective health please consider the following:

Follow the Science - To understand your risks of COVID and the options you have to protect yourself and those you love join our email list, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and access the resources of organizations committed to evidence-based research like the Canadian COVID Care Alliance (CCCA).

Know your Rights - to understand your rights and how to protect them reach out to organizations like the Children’s Health DefenceCanada, Vaccine Choice Canada or the Justice Centre forConstitutional Freedoms.

Speak Out - It only takes a small minority of people advocating for truth to change the tide of public opinion. Join your voice to others by signing this Petition. If you are being intimidated by recent Federal Policy, share your story at Derek Sloan (info@dereksloan.ca) and contact your local representative.

Stand - If you are experiencing intimidation or coercion as it relates to vaccines, use the Notice of Liability forms developed by CCCA or Children’s Health Defense or consider using the Demand of Accommodation Letter or the Religious Exemption Letters developed by Liberty Coalition Canada.

Advocate - A worldwide freedom rally is being held on September 18, 2021 to stand for solutions that consider the well-being of all citizens. Find the rally near you and sign this Petition to stop COVID 19 vaccine mandates.

Litigate - Lawsuits are underway regarding the pandemic responseand vaccine mandates. Vaccine Choice Canada has filed a suit against the various levels of government, public health officials, and the CBC and concerned citizens of BC have launched a class action suite against British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer for their pandemic response. While the Children’s Health Defense has recently launched a suite against Ontario Colleges and Universities for recent vaccine mandates. Given the recent mandates for Federal employees and Ontario HealthCare Workers, there are likely new lawsuits that will be launched. Reach out to Take Action Canada, Children's Health Defense Canada, or Vaccine Choice Canada for more information.

Vote - A federal election has been called for September 20. We have an opportunity to exercise our civic duty and vote for a government that is committed to upholding the well-being and freedom of Canadians. Take time to do your research and cast your vote.

Pray - These are distressing times, if you have been harmed by or are feeling pressured due to vaccine mandates or want to join with others to ask God to do what only he can do, send us an e-mail so we can connect you with prayer support.

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Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Be well,

Deanna, Todd, and the COVID Sense Team