by: zhida shang
august is an exciting time for many incoming medical students, since we are set to begin our long journeys as physicians. one of the requirements prior to matriculation is to have our immunizations up to date, such as hepatitis b, tetanus and mmr (measles, mumps and rubella), among others. as i am discussing this with my fellow incoming students in medical schools across canada, we can’t help but notice that one item is missing for many of us: covid-19 vaccinations.
this begs the question: why? why is vaccination for hepatitis b or measles mandatory for medical students, but not covid-19? why do people have no qualms asking about vaccination status for varicella, but when we ask about covid-19, it suddenly becomes a contentious privacy issue? all the above transmissible diseases may lead to very serious conditions, even with proper medical support. however, covid-19 is just as or even more deadly, and has been the main topic of international discourse over the past year and a half.
as incoming members of the health-care field, it will be our duty to prevent the transmission of deadly diseases for our patients and our communities, and thus it should also be the duty of medical schools to protect their students. so why is it that asking for covid-19 vaccination is still such a loaded question and complex issue? why is there such a large double standard regarding covid-19 vaccination status, at a time when we need it the most?