Should COVID-19 Vaccinations Be Mandatory? Take Patch's Survey

CONNECTICUT — A majority of Americans support mandatory administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a recent Monmouth University poll. Where do Connecticut readers fall on the topic?

President Joe Biden made it a hot button issue when he mandated all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. The order would affect about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.

Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government — with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers.

The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A violation will carry a penalty of $14,000, an administration official said.

Is all this even legal? That's up for debate, and the debate is about to be joined in earnest. Twenty-four state attorneys general have announced they are ready to file suit against Biden's executive order. They cite expansion of OSHA's regulatory powers without due process or considerations of how such a sweeping order will be enforced.

Is all this popular? That Monmouth poll indicates there is support for a mandate, but the enthusiasm varies considerably depending upon the venue. Fewer Americans want to see gyms and grocery stores bar the unvaccinated than sporting events and concert venues.

Take Patch's survey below and let us know how you feel. It's not meant to be a scientific poll, but only to give a broad idea of public sentiment.