Northern Ireland is weighing vaccination rules for public health emergencies

Lawmakers in Northern Ireland are weighing new rules that campaigners say could allow mandatory vaccination and lockdowns in the event of a new pandemic.

But experts say the narrative about proposed updates to public health law has been ‘hijacked’ by campaigners.

The country is holding a public consultation ahead of a bill that experts say would bring public health laws in line with the rest of Britain

It’s one extensive document which, in 79 pages, proposes numerous changes to the Northern Ireland Public Health Act 1967.

Based on a 2016 review In the law, sections describing “special requirements” for vaccination and restrictions on group gatherings have caused controversy.

Campaign groups have reacted strongly to these sections, arguing they could be used to introduce mandatory vaccinations and lockdowns, the BBC said.

But experts have urged calm during a campaign that has seen local lawmakers send numerous letters and emails opposing the consultation’s recommendations.

“The point is that there are different protections in place for the public,” Alan Stout, chairman of the British Medical Association NI, told me the British national broadcaster.

“It has a very broad scope and cannot and should not be viewed simply through the lens of Covid or through the vaccination itself.”

Now that a new bill still has to be written, the consultation document is still many steps away from becoming law.

A bill will be written to reflect the feedback from the consultation, which will then go through the Northern Ireland Parliament before being introduced.

It is too early to say how many recommendations will ultimately be included in law.

Section 143 of the consultation suggests that new regulations “may impose a special restriction or requirement, such as requiring a person to be vaccinated or receive other prophylactic treatment.”

England temporarily mandated COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers in 2021. The rules were then as the pandemic subsided in 2022.

Northern Ireland has not introduced these rules for its own healthcare workers – but the proposals could enable the country to do so in the future.

Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Mark Nesbitt has argued that “it is important that we consider all options”, despite his own aversion to mandatory vaccination, which is a controversial issue among public health professionals.

This practice can incite public opinion against the shots, cause controversy and ultimately discourage their adoption.

Nevertheless, they have been effective under certain circumstances, as Hans Kluge, European director of the World Health Organization, said in 2021.

Kluge argued for mandates only need to be entered as “a last resort…when all other viable options to improve vaccination rates have been exhausted.”

Dr. Stout said the consultation in Northern Ireland was not about mandates at all.

It “seems to have been hijacked because it’s about vaccination, and it’s not actually about vaccination,” he told the BBC.

“We are certainly not in favor of mandatory vaccination,” he added.

The consultations will also cover requirements to keep sick children out of school, restrictions on group gatherings and other measures widely implemented during the pandemic.

Campaigners have argued that parts of the document could lead to forced quarantine detention.

Dr. Stout said: “It’s about a repertoire of possible actions in a catastrophic public health emergency that every government has access to to protect the population.”

A Department of Health spokesperson told the BBC: “Northern Ireland must replace its outdated public health legislation, which is more than 55 years old. We need legislation that covers infections and contamination from biological, chemical and radiological sources and brings us into line with the rest of Britain.”

“A public consultation should stimulate public debate,” she added.

The consultation ends on Monday October 14.