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Data from the Indiana State Department of Health indicates that we are in the midst of yet another wave of COVID infections. At this rate, college freshmen enrolled in fall 2020 might graduate having never experienced a classroom without masks!
However, the recent ISDH data gives some glimmer of hope. On Dec. 6, 2020, the peak of last year’s wave, the number of newly reported COVID infections on a seven-day rolling average, clocked in at 6,888 per day. On Dec. 6, 2021, which also appears to be at or near the peak of this wave, the seven-day rolling average of new infections was 4,842. Even better news: The rolling-average daily deaths last Dec. 6 was 93; this year, it was 32.
This time last year, vaccines were just being made available. At the time of this writing, data from The New York Times indicated that 85% of Hoosiers over 65 are fully vaccinated, as are 60% of those over 12. This is undoubtedly the major reason both new cases and deaths are lower in December 2021 than in December 2020.
Economic theory suggests that private-market incentives are sufficient to encourage the correct amount of consumption of goods like apples, underwear and coffee cups. That is because the consumption benefits of apples, underwear and coffee cups flow almost exclusively to the individual consumer.
Not so with COVID vaccines. The vaccinated individual receives significant protection from COVID. But the thousands of other people who come in contact with the vaccinated individual receive benefits, too: They are less likely to become infected. The presence and magnitude of these “external” benefits have long made vaccination a textbook case of where government subsidies might improve on the market outcome. Indeed, free COVID vaccines are based on this.
If free vaccines get us to a 60% vaccination rate, what about the minority of Hoosiers who resist getting vaccinated? We have no good answer. In our humble opinion, in a free society, it is not acceptable for health officers to tackle vaccine-reluctant folks and stick needles in their arms. On the other hand, freedom also includes the freedom for employers to require their employees to be vaccinated.
The state should continue to make the vaccine readily available, educate and encourage people to get vaccinated. However, the state should neither mandate employer vaccines nor forbid employers from requiring a COVID vaccine as a condition of employment. That’s how freedom works!•
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Bohanon and Curott are professors of economics at Ball State University. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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It is interest that academics and NOT in any health related field have used the typical business economic argument, (i.e. business/money is more important than public health) to make their case. I would suggest that they leave their ivory tower and visit even just the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie. They might even see the National Guard there to support the health care workers there since the Hospital has been inundated with Covid cases (https://indianapublicradio.org/news/2021/12/iuh-ball-memorial-hospital-is-still-inundated-with-covid-patients/). I wonder if they have been consults to any of our Indiana legislators to push the anti-vaccinate legislation as the TOP PRIORITY of the new legislative session. (REALLY, of all of the challenges that is facing our State today, and THAT is their top priority??. Someone has really spiked their Kool Aid!!!)
Indiana continues to lead in so many ways when it comes to public health. Obviously, but not in a good way. I am sure that no one realizes, that if you have an active case of tuberculosis, you are required BY LAW to take the TB medicine. If someone absolutely refused to take the TB medication, then that person can be jailed and forced to take the medication. The Covid pandemic has been so much more devastating especially here in Indiana. In many ways, Indiana is leading including positivity rate, poor rate of vaccination, high hospitalization rates, etc. As of today, Indiana only has 52% of its population vaccinated. Positively rate in new individuals is 25.5% based in the Indiana’s own dashboard information. Indiana Hospitals are overwhelmed. It is beyond believe that our legislature cares more about money than the health of its citizens. However, if Covid hits one of their personal family members, then they sing a different tune. We, in Indiana, have own unique brand of schizophrenia. Our legislators need to rethink their responsibilities when they try to legislate public health policy. One might consider and even argue that the legislators and the Governor should take personal responsibility for the deaths of some many Hoosiers by not mandating masks, vaccinations (including boosters), social distancing rules, etc. It is healthcare crisis!!! Who is going to put public health at the top of our collective priority risk where it should be during this pandemic?
Wow, these two university professors support the “freedom” to keep the pandemic alive, our hospitals full and the robust growth of our funeral industry. B&C point out, in economic jargon, that there are “externalities” involved. Individual incentives do not capture the full harm of the horrible behavior of our freedom-espousing Hoosiers. This is why vaccinations have been required since the Revolutionary War. But today, ideology trumps common sense. And the misapplication of economic theory doesn’t help.