![]() ![]() Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism that suggests that the right action is the one that will bring about the greatest amount of good for the largest number of people, “the ends justify the means”. However, it can also be argued that a HCW's obligations should be overridden when the risk of harm to the HCW is certain, significant, and cannot be adequately mitigated. One could argue that HCWs have a fiduciary duty to protect the health of their patients, particularly when precautions are available to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 virus, which would support compulsory COVID-19 vaccination. Furthermore, a discussion of legal, religious, economic, political, and regulatory aspects of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of HCWs is beyond the scope of this letter.ĭeontology asserts that a person should adhere to his or her obligations and duties when making an ethical decision, “end/outcomes may not justify the means”. The reader is encouraged to seek additional references for a more in depth understanding of this topic. In this letter, I provide a simplistic overview of the ethical theories and principles for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of HCWs with a focus on clinical laboratorians. To ensure high rates of COVID-19 vaccination, healthcare facilities may mandate vaccination, but this should be enacted only after significant ethical and organizational considerations have been weighed. When a vaccine becomes available, this will raise many ethical questions such as, who should receive the vaccine first? Health care workers (HCWs), including clinical laboratory personnel, will likely be given priority. A risk assessment for the clinical laboratory is vital to provide comprehensive information to stakeholders to implement the most effective measures for mitigation of COVID-19 infection among laboratory staff. Clinical laboratory personnel are essential workers and must continue to generate high-quality test results for diagnosis, monitoring, and treating patients. The 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic has inflicted substantial disease and economic harm on the world.
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