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Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new policy requiring proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter places like restaurants and bars, and it has had amazing results: in one day, more than 2% of the unvaccinated population signed up to obtain snapshots, representing nearly a million people. That number quickly climbed to over 2 million. The threat of missing out on croissants and cappuccinos seemed to be enough to convince those hesitant about the vaccine.
France’s new rule also applies to other places: trains, planes, concert halls and iconic places such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, for example. And although thousands of people protested the move in France, Italy followed suit on Thursday and instituted a similar demand.
In the Bay Area, the possibility of having such a rule in bars and restaurants is extremely compelling. We are obsessed with food and blessed with various culinary opportunities and fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, restaurants are among the few places where removing a mask is inevitable, and dining inside is known to be an activity where COVID-19 can spread. What if we made the decision to require a vaccination passport to also enter restaurants? Would that be enough to increase our vaccination rate against the contagious delta variant?
The concept is already under study. A group of bars from San Francisco, which represents 500 bars, are considering requiring proof of vaccination for customers. And the SF Chamber of Commerce is informally polling its members about a similar program. But whether such a rule is imposed by the government or by entrepreneurs, as a person who studies infectious diseases, I think that could be the key to quickly increase the vaccination rate.
Many people think that motivations come in two forms: the carrot and the stick. The vaccine passport scenario is more like a carrot / stick. In this approach to raw vegetables, unvaccinated individuals would be denied privileges they took for granted in the pre-COVID era and which were completely denied to everyone in the lockdown era. The carrot, of course, would be allowed to enter valuable places.
For those who have been vaccinated, going to restaurants where everyone is vaccinated can have additional health and psychological benefits, significantly lowering the risk of onset infections.
Compared to historical precedents, two-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are remarkably effective – they provide about 95% protection against symptomatic illnesses. However, this does mean that about 1 in 20 vaccinated people who are exposed to a contagious person in a crowded restaurant can get sick. Vaccinated individuals are not invulnerable. Important additional protection is provided by avoiding exposure to people who may be contagious and by wearing masks.
One can also speculate on the positive economic impact of such a policy. Because of the decreased risk, more people who are vaccinated – like me – will be motivated to go out to eat, especially those who are risk averse. While this policy would exclude a segment of the population, the majority of Bay Area residents are already vaccinated, and these people may be more likely to frequent such places. This strategy would also eliminate the negative publicity and loss of business associated with the need to close due to an outbreak on site. Despite high vaccination rates, some restaurants have had to temporarily close recently due to positive COVID-19 tests among staff.
One question: how such a rule would be mandated. Despite strong support for universal immunization from President Joe Biden, Governor Gavin Newsom and local public health officials, the way forward to implement such a plan is more than unclear. It seems likely that the anti-vax and anti-science segments will raise concerns about autonomy and threaten legal remedies. Although the majority of French people support the new measures there, many people have also protested against the demands.
In the absence of public vaccination mandates, individual companies might be persuaded to adopt a vaccination-only policy. It could even be used as an advertising ploy. It would definitely be a great incentive for me. I know I’m not alone: after the news that some bars in San Francisco were considering vaccine requirements, many people professed on social networks that such a rule would make them to feel better to be in public too.
The main objective of such a rule, however, would be to improve overall public health. As of Thursday, 76% of eligible San Francisco residents had been fully immunized. But the highly contagious delta variant is rapidly increasing in prevalence, increasing the risk for everyone, including those who are already vaccinated.
Being vaccinated prevents serious illnesses in the individual and provides community protection for friends and family, especially those who cannot be vaccinated, such as children or those who are immunocompromised, who may not be well. protected by vaccination. And that benefits the world at large. Reducing the overall prevalence of infection decreases the spread of the virus and the emergence of additional variants.
As in France, anyone wishing to give up their right to eat in restaurants or to go to shops or events can keep their right not to be vaccinated. But many others can be encouraged to join the growing ranks of the vaccinated and take advantage of the many health, economic and psychological privileges that vaccination confers.
Robert Siegel is professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University. For 40 years, he has taught courses on interactions between humans and viruses. Email: [email protected]
It’s First Person, where members of the Bay Area community express their views on food-related topics. Robert Siegel is Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University who studies infectious diseases.
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