Note: Professor Homer is a fictitious figure created solely for the purpose of satire. No such character has been known to roam the halls of Hoover, or anywhere else on campus, for that matter. The fictitious figure was created by Dr. Sanjay Paul.

To vaccinate  or not to vaccinate against COVID-19,. is that the question?

This should no longer be a legitimate question. The preponderance of scientific evidence is clear: vaccinations are highly effective in dealing with COVID-19. They reduce one’s risk of getting infected, of spreading infections to others and in the event of breakthrough infections, the necessity of hospitalization and likelihood of death.

But in Hoover one man stands unimpressed by the weight of evidence. Professor Homer, confident in his wisdom, has chosen not to get vaccinated. He wears masks as required, although of late he has been declaring in the faculty lounge to anyone who will listen that he will no longer play by the rules. No, he says, masks infringe on his personal liberty. 

Just like Leona Helmsley who decided not to pay taxes—why, only the little people pay taxes, she is said to have said—Homer believes that the rules are meant only for the hoi polloi.

Homer’s declarations in the faculty lounge have not exactly endeared him to his colleagues. They are usually there to make a cup of coffee before class and the last thing they want is an earful from Homer about the impending loss of his various liberties. One day it is religious freedom, the next it is freedom from government control. “Socialism is just around the corner,” he said darkly the other day, causing an accounting colleague to abandon her coffee quest and beat a hasty retreat from the lounge.

One is not at liberty to cry “Fire!” in a crowded theater for fear of causing injury to others. People are okay with that restriction, with a limit to their freedom of expression imposed by the wretched government, no less. 

But Homer’s stubborn insistence on remaining unvaccinated poses a risk to others around him. In his pursuit of untrammeled liberties, Homer endangers the health of his colleagues and students, especially those who have other serious medical concerns to deal with. It is their freedom, their well-being and perhaps their very lives, that are imperiled as a result of Homer’s actions.

But Homer need not be allowed to roam freely, unvaccinated, in the halls of Hoover. Society knows how to deal with negative externalities—cases where one’s actions harm others without any recompense being made to the affected parties. In order to reduce the occurrence of such instances, society can impose suitable costs on those who choose to inflict harm on their fellow citizens.

Certain firms have begun to act in this manner. Around the country and in our own county, many hospitals have made vaccinations mandatory. So have most major airlines. Their employees face a stark choice—get vaccinated or leave. In either case, their customers and their remaining workers stand to benefit.

President Joe Biden has announced that private employers with 100 workers or more must require their employees to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. His plan will affect colleges and universities around the country. But colleges don’t have to wait. They can already impose mandates on their own. Many have done so.

Colleges could impose other costs on their unvaccinated employees, with exceptions being made for medical reasons. They could require faculty like Homer to teach remotely, although that would impose a fresh burden on students who wish to attend classes in person. Alternatively, they could be charged a certain amount for the increased health risk they pose to other members of the community and the accompanying financial costs of hospital visits, medical treatment, lost productivity and increased health insurance premiums.

Delta Airlines chose this route. In August they announced that workers who failed to get a government-approved vaccine would have $200 deducted from their paychecks every month and reported an immediate increase in the number of workers who chose to get vaccinated.

But Delta’s action may not be a panacea. The legal issues surrounding it are not settled, and the resulting uncertainty may give pause to organizations considering implementing similar steps.

Delta’s “stick” approach is in contrast to a “carrot” strategy adopted by some businesses, under which employees get rewarded with cash or other perks for getting vaccinated. Colleges could consider similar efforts to also encourage students to get the vaccine.

Getting a vaccine is remarkably simple—and costless. The CVS pharmacy in Elizabethtown, Pa. notes that the costs of getting a COVID-19 vaccine and a booster shot are covered by insurance or, in the case of the uninsured, by the federal government. They will also throw in a coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase.