MICHIGAN, USA — With full Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, some businesses may be more inclined to mandate vaccinations for employers or customers.
"They've seen a lot of the data that they need for the full approval," said Toni Bulthuis, Ottawa County Department of Health Immunization Supervisor. "They've gotten the timeframe in, it's been more than six months. I think the FDA approval will kind of boost, and hopefully give people more confidence, that this is a safe and effective vaccine."
Spectrum Health announced last month it will mandate vaccination for employees within eight weeks of an FDA approval. Spectrum Health released this statement today:
"At Spectrum Health, the health and safety of our community members, patients and team members are our primary concerns. We are pleased that the U.S. FDA has granted approval to the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and stand ready to continue vaccinating community members who would like to receive a vaccination. Those who are interested can learn more here. As previously stated, Spectrum Health team members who are not already vaccinated will be required to obtain the vaccine within eight weeks. Spectrum Health will consider exemptions for team members as required by law. More information will be provided to team members shortly."
Grand Valley State University (GVSU) will require vaccination for students, staff and faculty by Sept. 30. University leaders said when they announced the mandate that was in anticipation of the FDA approval.
Many people have cited a lack of full FDA approval for a vaccine as a reason to put off or not get the shots.
"There's a lot of things we take every day: Our vitamins, minerals, supplements," said Bulthuis. "None of those are FDA approved. But we don't have a question in regards to those. So, that's where we look at this and say, 'Hey, the FDA is doing their due diligence and want to make it safe and effective.' And these pharmaceutical companies don't want to put themselves on the line, if it's not safe and effective, either."
Meanwhile, smaller businesses may be less included to issue such a mandate. Brian Calley, the president of the Small Business Association of Michigan, said smaller businesses will be hesitant to issue across-the-board mandates.
"They can't really afford to add conditions of employment, given the workforce shortages they already face," said Calley. "If you might imagine a business that's had a difficult time staffing back up after the government had restricted their activities for so long, and their previous workforce had to find something else to do for a living, the idea of showing some employees the door that might disagree with that type of policy is not really very realistic."
He said it's more likely that smaller businesses will find ways to operate with health and safety precautions that were learned during the pandemic.
"I think it'll make some difference with individuals," said Calley of the FDA approval, "but probably will not make a big difference in the policies that businesses themselves choose to follow."
However, businesses are within their right to mandate vaccination for employees or customers.
"The right to run a business gives you the right to decide who's going to enter your business and who doesn't," said Mark Dotson, professor of law at WMU Cooley Law School. "Not as long as it doesn't violate any federal laws or any state laws with regard to discrimination."
Dotson said discrimination includes things such as gender, race and ethnicity, but "there's no protected class of unvaccinated people."
If anything, Dotson believes the FDA approval will give some businesses a stronger foothold to mandate vaccines from a public relations standpoint. However, there still may be some concerns over availability of workers, lawsuits or boycotts.
"They will still face those potential concerns or reactions," said Dotson. "Now though, they have the base upon which to say, look, it's been approved. Any opposition you may have had to take in the vaccination, at least that was based on your concern about it being approved, has been taken away."
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