We note news that the United States Government is contemplating a plan requiring visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before entry.

It is said to be part of efforts to eventually fully reopen that country’s borders. Currently travel restrictions bar people from much of the world from entering the US because of the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus.

We are not surprised. It seems to us that as vaccines become more available globally, there will be increasing impatience and pressure for its take-up as an avenue to reopen economies and societies.

Experts say the rapidly spreading, extremely contagious Delta variant has emphasised the need for vaccinations to counter COVID-19, which has killed more than four million people globally since late 2019.

In Jamaica, this latest reported US plan will be watched closely. That’s because so many of our people travel to and from that country as a matter of course. Indeed, should such a plan ever be implemented it would probably do more than any other single factor in significantly reducing vaccine hesitancy here.

Locally, we are encouraged by reports of partnership between the private sector and Government to proactively get employees to vaccination centres. Also, use of mobile units to get vaccination teams into communities as part of the ongoing blitz facilitated by the recent British donation of 300,000 AstraZeneca doses is sensible.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says the Government is “bringing vaccination to the people”. That, it seems to us, is an obvious way to go, once vaccines are available. People who are struggling to find bus and taxi fares and are further demotivated by “duppy stories” about supposed dangers of anti-COVID-19 vaccinations are best reached where they live.

Proper organisation and mobilisation will be essential if the goal of 900,000 vaccinated Jamaicans by the end of September is achieved. This is especially important in the context of rising infections and hospitalisations, plus increased stress for health personnel who must also execute vaccine blitzes.

Assuming shipments arrive as scheduled, the question of how to deal with vaccine hesitancy must be addressed proactively. Though it will undoubtedly help, we can’t expect that mandatory vaccine entry requirements by the US and other countries — if or when those come into being — will completely resolve the problem.

Respected health professional Professor Winston Davidson is on record urging that vaccinations be made mandatory in order to achieve herd immunity. Globally, previous suggestions that 60-70 per cent inoculation will provide immunity against COVID-19 are being revised. Increasingly, those who should know are speaking of inoculation close to, or in excess of 90 per cent.

We suspect there could be legal, constitutional and human rights objections to any mandatory vaccination programme. However, for decades Jamaicans have become accustomed to requirements for immunisation against diseases such as polio, measles, et al. As the situation now stands, children are routinely blocked from entering school if they are not immunised against several diseases.

What would be different, we wonder, if such requirements were introduced across the Jamaican landscape for COVID-19? In our view, it’s a discussion that can’t be avoided.