Depends on the amount of the fine. But even if it was reasonable, the government of my country would need to produce at least 2 other components to make a credible good will attempt at saving lives:
They should be increasing the number of hospital beds available and hire health professionnals, instead of closing beds as they’ve been doing throughout the pandemic
They should set boundaries to the duration of the fine, promise not to raise it or lenghten it, and have a credible way of showing they’ll keep that promise, or, barring that, a track record of keeping their word. Instead, they have emergency powers, can pass decrees without parliament approval, and have consistently broken their words arguing that “the circumstances have changed”
I guess what I like about fines is that they have a well defined endpoint. They end when people have either complied with whatever they need to comply with OR they’ve paid the fine.
As for hospital beds—absolutely. In fact another reason I lean toward fines is that the money can be earmarked for very specific things, like treatment.
I’m not sold on the idea of everybody needing a booster shot forever, if that’s one of your concerns.
Would you be more comfortable with a more traditional measure like imposing a hefty fine on people who don’t get vaccinated?
Depends on the amount of the fine. But even if it was reasonable, the government of my country would need to produce at least 2 other components to make a credible good will attempt at saving lives:
They should be increasing the number of hospital beds available and hire health professionnals, instead of closing beds as they’ve been doing throughout the pandemic
They should set boundaries to the duration of the fine, promise not to raise it or lenghten it, and have a credible way of showing they’ll keep that promise, or, barring that, a track record of keeping their word. Instead, they have emergency powers, can pass decrees without parliament approval, and have consistently broken their words arguing that “the circumstances have changed”
I guess what I like about fines is that they have a well defined endpoint. They end when people have either complied with whatever they need to comply with OR they’ve paid the fine.
As for hospital beds—absolutely. In fact another reason I lean toward fines is that the money can be earmarked for very specific things, like treatment.
I’m not sold on the idea of everybody needing a booster shot forever, if that’s one of your concerns.
Ok, it seems we have something to work with, then. Amounts and validity periods can be negotiated.