LETTER: Nevada must take steps to ensure vaccine compliance

Soon we will have vaccines in sufficient quantity to defeat the virus, and we will need sufficient distribution infrastructure and logistics support. But that alone will not be enough to restore our economy.

We know that somewhat on the order of 50 percent of citizens will refuse the vaccine, and until we get to compliance levels north of 70 percent, recovery will be delayed. I call upon Gov. Steve Sisolak to work with the Legislature to craft incentives to increase voluntary vaccine acceptance.

Examples are a requirement that all school children be vaccinated before being allowed to attend public schools. Also, it should be a mandated requirement to hold a state license for those professional with up-close contact with others to have a vaccination as a condition of holding the license. This should include all school teachers, barbers, hairdressers, holders of food safety cards, etc. Also it should be a requirement for all government employees to get vaccinated as a condition of continued employment. The law should be clarified that any private employer has the discretion to require all employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment and allow the dismissal without any legal recourse by the employee on the employer.

We need to get vaccine compliance up sooner than later. Only by creating incentives will this happen.