Letters to the Editor: The utter hypocrisy of Republican opposition to UC’s vaccine mandate

To the editor: Chalk another one up to Republican hypocrisy.

The California College Republicans are considering suing the over the University of California’s vaccine requirement, echoing three students at Cal State Chico who sued their university system because a mandate would violate their liberty by interfering with their “bodily autonomy.”

Might these be students from the same political party that does everything in its power to deny bodily autonomy to pregnant women?

Kudos to UC for enacting this mandate, which follows on its Board of Regents’ decision to restrict partnerships with Catholic hospitals that deny women their bodily autonomy.

Barbara Rosen, Fullerton

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To the editor: When I entered UC Berkeley more than 60 years ago, the university required me to have a smallpox vaccination. I don’t remember any mass protests over that.

Sue Kamm, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Since the carrot approach hasn’t worked with COVID-19 vaccination skeptics and hesitaters, perhaps the stick would be more effective.

What if health insurance companies surcharged unvaccinated people, say $10 per month on their premiums? Premiums would revert back to the original amount after vaccinating.

Surcharges for higher-risk behaviors fit within standard practices. Cigarette smokers pay higher premiums than nonsmokers, for example.

I suspect that millions of people who would otherwise skip the vaccines would get their shots to avoid financial penalties.

Jeanne Damus, Los Angeles