Takshashila Policy Advisory - COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in India

Public Health
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Executive Summary 

Vaccine mandates are instruments for the government or private institutions to make it compulsory for its citizens/employees/students to be vaccinated for a specific disease in order to avail the benefits and services of the state or the institution. As various countries mandate the use of COVID-19 vaccines, this assessment recommends the checks and balances that India must take into account when mandating the COVID-19 vaccine in the country. The broad recommendations include:

  1. The Union government should authorise vaccines based on clinical trials and ensure that there is sufficient vaccine supply.

  2. All employers - government (Union, States, and local bodies) or private, should be given the freedom to mandate the vaccine proportionate to the public health threat.

  3. Even when electing to issue a mandate, the employer should ensure vaccine supply, extra sick leave, and business continuity (in the case of government services).

  4. Special cases must be considered for exemptions from the vaccine mandate.

Authors

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Shambhavi Naik
Shambhavi Naik

Shambhavi Naik is the Head of Research at Takshashila and is the chairperson of the Advanced Biology programme. She has a PhD in Cancer Biology. Shambhavi’s research covers India’s policies in areas of emerging technologies, with a focus on healthcare and higher education.

Arjun Gargeyas
Arjun Gargeyas

Arjun Gargeyas was a Research Analyst working with the High Tech Geopolitics programme at the Takshashila Institution. Arjun’s interests primarily lie at the intersection of foreign, technology, energy, and environmental policy.

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