Frigg
The following is my attempt to write a government policy for pandemic response. It aims to be consistent with individualist values while empowering the whole of society to respond as they choose, thus preserving rights while promoting health.
- Act Morally. Life and autonomy must both be honoured and preserved throughout every pandemic response. General measures should be undertaken proactively to build permanent pandemic readiness where feasible, and more specific measures should be undertaken reactively according to the pandemic risk identified.
- Promote Health. Invest broadly in voluntary countermeasures, such as prevention by promoting healthy eating and exercise, vaccine options that are demonstrably safe and effective, post-infection treatment such as antiviral medicine, contagion-reducing measures such as purpose-built voluntary quarantine facilities and support for improvised isolation such as providing devices for monitoring health at home. Also, enhance acute symptom care through increasing ICU capacity, including the improvement of pay and conditions necessary to recruit and retain the professionals needed for such services, and funding the construction and furnishing of such facilities that promote public health.
- Promote Information. Proactively release pandemic-related data, in a manner that respects individual privacy, in both raw and processed formats to enhance accessibility from academics to laymen, so people can make free and informed choices. Harmful side-effects from any pandemic countermeasure, such as vaccines, must be reported if observed by a medical professional, so as to inform the public of potential harm from such countermeasures and to adjust policies accordingly, and systems should be improved to facilitate such reporting so that it does not unduly burden the valuable time of health professionals.
- Recognise Immunity Broadly. While public-facing businesses should not discriminate on medical status, the government should offer an immunity-recognition system to facilitate the needs of New Zealanders, such as to meet travel and entry requirements imposed by other countries outside of New Zealand’s authority. The system should be as enabling as possible by recognising all dispositions that indicate immunity to infection or severe symptom development from exposure to a virus of interest, such as recognising the high functioning immune systems of healthy young people, serological evidence of acquired immunity from previous infection, and vaccines of similar efficacy, as appropriate for that virus.
- End Targeted Pandemic Relief Payments. Cease all grants that are issued to businesses and other entities based on meeting pandemic-related disruption criteria, since such grants preserve unprofitable business models and reduce free market pressures to innovate, adapt and overcome the real challenges of service that could manifest during a pandemic.
- End Compulsion. Repeal all emergency powers and cease all compulsory pandemic measures within New Zealand, and all such measures applicable to New Zealanders and their family and spouses in territories and borders under the authority of the New Zealand Government.
- End Lockdowns. Lockdowns and other means of limiting freedom of movement and commerce within New Zealand should not form a part of any pandemic response, as they are wholly inconsistent with honouring autonomy.
- End Medical Discrimination. Actively prevent all public-serving businesses from discriminating against customers on grounds of medical status, for instance on any matter relating to vaccination, or any pressure to disclose the customer’s exposure to an infectious disease. In other words, medical status should be treated with the same high regard as other groups specified in anti-discrimination laws.
- End Employee Vaccination Requirements. Vaccination should not be a condition of employment.