Vaccination: Facts, Relevant Concepts, and Ethical Challenges

Abstract

This first chapter introduces some ethically relevant concepts that illustrate why we need an "ethics of vaccination", such as "herd immunity", "public good", and "vaccine refusal". It argues that the choice whether to vaccinate oneself or one's children is by its own nature an "ethical" choice: it requires individuals to act not only or even not primarily to promote their self-interest but also or even primarily to contribute to an important public good like herd immunity. Besides, since herd immunity is an important public good, ethical questions arise also at the level of state action with regard to the obligations to implement vaccination policies , if necessary coercive ones, that allow to realize herd immunity.