Policy | Consequences of vaccine refusal* |
Forced vaccination | Forcible vaccination using chemical or physical restraint, if required. |
Compulsion/penalties | Fines or imprisonment; termination of employment; cancellation of professional registration. |
Professional restrictions/conditions | Employment suspended; enforced leave; loss of salary for days not worked; admitting rights suspended; conditions imposed on professional registration preventing front-line healthcare work. |
Redeployment | Redeployment to non-clinical duties, working from home. Restriction on direct clinical work with elderly, vulnerable, immunocompromised patients. |
Loss of incentives | No access to employee privileges, such as additional paid leave; no access to restricted areas of the health service such as tea rooms or health club; no professional registration fee discount. |
Nudging/libertarian paternalism | Opt-out policies, such as requiring FHCWs to sign a declinature statement explaining why they are refusing COVID-19 vaccination; reporting vaccination rates across different teams and highlighting underperforming teams to increase rates, making it harder for underperforming teams to say it is not possible to increase rates. |
Persuasion | Education campaigns or professional development activities offered (but not mandated) to persuade FHCWs to reconsider. |
No intervention | No intervention if FHCW refuses or declines vaccination. |
*Does not apply to exemption on approved medical grounds.
FHCW, front-line healthcare worker.