During a Jan. 5 interview with Newsday, Fauci was asked about whether the COVID vaccine will be made mandatory. The doctor said that he expects some places will mandate the vaccine. “There will be individual institutions—they can be hospitals, they can be workplaces, they can be schools—where the authorities in charge of that say that in order to participate in the activities of this institution, you have to get vaccinated,” he explained.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb In an earlier interview with Newsweek on Jan. 1, Fauci shared a similar sentiment and discussed the prospect of schools mandating the vaccine in more detail, saying he believed schools might mandate the vaccine. He pointed out that “that’s something that’s mandated at the state level and city level. A citywide school system might require it in some cities but not other cities.” And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. According to Fauci, you don’t need to worry about the federal government forcing you to get the COVID vaccine. “One thing we can be almost certain of is that just like any other vaccine, it is very unlikely that it’s going to be federally mandated,” he told Newsday. And for the latest vaccine news, The FDA Just Ruled You Can’t Do These 4 Things With the COVID Vaccines. While the notion of being forced to take the COVID vaccine might sound alarming, it’s nothing new. Fauci pointed out that we already mandate vaccines in many places. “In the public school systems, children cannot get into a school if they don’t have certain vaccinations like measles, mumps, rubella, etc.,” he said. “So there are already existing examples of the mandating of vaccination” at the local level. And for more on the future of the pandemic, Dr. Fauci Just Said These 5 Very Scary Words About COVID-19. If you miss traveling, getting the vaccine could be the key to returning to doing so more easily. Recently some countries, such as Israel, have adopted the use of “green passports.” These passports are granted to residents who received the COVID vaccine. According to Newsweek, the passport lifts many restrictions, including mandatory quarantine if exposed to an infected person. It would also allow residents to travel abroad without a negative COVID test. When Newsweek asked Fauci if the U.S. might implement a similar passport, he said it’s certainly possible. “Anything is on the table. Anything is possible, of course,” he noted. And for more on vaccine side effects, learn The One Side Effect Dr. Fauci Is Worried About With His Next COVID Shot
