Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim speaks out in favor of compulsory vaccination

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In a new episode of MaiLab: Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim speaks out in favor of compulsory vaccination

The vaccination rate in Germany has slowed down significantly in recent months. At the beginning of June, the peak of 1.4 million vaccine doses a day was administered, in mid-November it was only around 300,000. Although the vaccination rate has recently picked up again, according to data from the RKI, this is mainly due to the booster vaccinations. 67.5 percent of the population are currently fully vaccinated, experts say far too little to stop the pandemic.

In a video published on Sunday, science journalist Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim spoke out in favor of mandatory vaccination in Germany. “What if all the information about vaccination, incentives, low-threshold offers and 2G are not enough to close the vaccination gap: Can you then still exclude compulsory vaccination?” Asks the 34-year-old and immediately answers the question with a “no” Compulsory vaccination is also categorically not her first choice, but to exclude her like the federal government, she could not understand either.

Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim compares the vaccination with a seat belt

As a comparison, she cites the compulsory seat belt in the car, where one could argue that “it only protects me”. With a vaccination, however, you not only protect yourself, but also others. “We’re talking about infections that would be preventable if everyone were vaccinated,” said Nguyen-Kim. A compulsory vaccination in special cases is justified, such as the smallpox vaccination in 1959 or the measles vaccination in schools and daycare centers in 2020. “Perhaps some have still not understood the state of emergency we are currently in, but if a compulsory vaccination were justified, then now, “explains the scientist.

The 34-year-old uses three facts to justify this. Fact one: vaccination is safe. Never before has a vaccine been tested as extensively as the corona vaccine, and it couldn’t get any better than that. The term long-term side effects was also not understood by many. “These are side effects that occur and persist days to weeks after the vaccination and not side effects that occur much later.”

As fact two, she presents the protection of vaccination. Infection cannot be ruled out, but it significantly reduces the chances of a severe course. She points out the importance of a complete vaccination, which also includes the booster vaccination. “Anyone who says vaccinations won’t do anything would have to say that goalkeepers won’t do anything, because 99 percent of the goals scored he was in the goal,” argues Nguyen-Kim.

Third, the scientist warns that the pandemic is not over yet. With the end of the pandemic, the virus will be at home in Germany and thus endemic. Until you get there, you have to do everything possible to avoid further deaths. “Do we want to shrug our shoulders and allow infections or do everything we can to ensure that as many as possible get vaccinated and that we reduce contacts,” asks the science journalist. Anyone who understands these three facts can only come to a reasonable decision: “Free your arm and get vaccinated.”

Arguments for compulsory vaccination

She points out that now is the time for pragmatism and not for perfection. “Don’t let the enemy of good be perfect,” Nguyen-Kim quotes a sentence by Voltaire. “Everything that helps, helps.” The 34-year-old closes her video with an appeal to the federal government. Although she promised that there would be no compulsory vaccination, it was time to break this promise. She also refuses to accept the justification given by a government spokesman that compulsory vaccinations lead to a division in society. “A split does not result from a compulsory vaccination but from the split into vaccinated and unvaccinated.”

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