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The most precious value
One of the initiators of the project, a farmer Tom Tomilin, told Seimas on Tuesday that vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine had significant side effects that made it impossible to work the next day.
In addition, according to the parliamentarian, the introduction of a day off after vaccination with COVID-19 would at the same time be an incentive to vaccinate.
“It is impossible to work with AstraZeneca. That is a fact. That is why you need to speak openly with people: it is a normal effect, nothing terrible happens to your health, but it is impossible to work.
So it would make sense for us to have an incentive to come and get vaccinated en masse during a pandemic. Sometimes maybe someone doesn’t need that break at all, because there is no effect, but it would act as a certain incentive, a certain gratitude, “said Tomilinas.
The MP said that we must weigh what is more important: the short-term economic losses or the benefits of herd immunity. “Today, our goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible; the objective is not to save a million or another, the objective is to gain herd immunity ”, he emphasized.
The day off would apply to those vaccinated not only with AstraZeneca but also with all other COVID-19 vaccines.
According to a member of the LVŽS faction, holidays as an incentive for vaccination have already been tried both in Lithuania and in other countries around the world. According to T. Tomilinas, in Lithuania a day off was used to encourage blood donation.
“A day off, or time in general, is the most precious value for a modern person; neither a gift nor a check will help. However, the free time in which you can experience that natural formation of immunity (fever, tremor from a short time or those who do not feel side effects) can take advantage of this time to do some things. That would be an incentive, a motivation, “said Tomilinas.
An amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Law was registered on Tuesday. According to T. Tomilinas, the conclusion of the Legal Department will now be awaited, other factions of the Seimas will be discussed about supporting this project.
“It just came to our notice then. We only spoke to the Seimas members who received the vaccine, I heard their stories and reactions, so I hope there are a lot of supporters.
But let’s start that discussion, I think it will take a week. If such a proposal is really necessary, it could be urgently adopted within a few days, “explained Tililin.
“Under normal circumstances, there is no need for such things in any way, because companies can negotiate with employees, there are time reserves. Today we don’t have time, “he added.
It can be considered
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said Tuesday that the idea of a “vaccination day” could be considered.
“It just came to our attention then. Apparently, there are people for whom the vaccine causes some of these health sensations. For me, let’s say it did nothing, I was able to work perfectly the next day without a” vaccination day “, other people were actually more affected.
We can also consider those ideas if they help ”, I. Šimonytė evaluated the proposal.
At that time, the president of the Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen declared that such a proposal was excessive.
“It seems to me that the offer is still redundant because today we talk a lot about vaccines, people are encouraged to get vaccinated. It seems to me that every responsible person who only has the opportunity to get vaccinated does so; I don’t know if additional measures are needed, ”said the president of Seimas.
Evaluated by an economist
At the time, economist Nerijus Mačiulis said he doubted that a “vaccination day” was an effective means of motivating people who were skeptical about vaccines. He points out that this incentive would do nothing to encourage older people to get vaccinated.
“I don’t think it’s too much to talk about the impact on the economy, although it would probably be one more day off for many people. One way or another, most people who work plan to get vaccinated and will get vaccinated.” … Most of they clearly understand that in this way they can protect themselves personally and help society get rid of the pandemic and quarantine, “he told Eltai.
According to N. Mačiulis, an additional day off would hardly become an incentive for people who do not want to be vaccinated to finally decide to get vaccinated.
“The crucial question is probably whether such an incentive would be enough to make the most skeptical of the population change their minds and agree to get vaccinated for one more day off.
Perhaps each of us can answer to ourselves that I wonder if those big skeptics who fear vaccines and do not think they are useful, who think the side effects are too great and harmful, or if an additional day off a year could to help. they decide this. That would not be a critical factor that could change the opinion of that part of society ”, he emphasized.
According to the economist, these small financial gifts are too insignificant a factor to change public opinion.
“Perhaps there are other ways to help people understand that by getting vaccinated against this dangerous disease, they can help themselves and others. But these small financial gifts are unlikely to be a deal breaker,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, N. Mačiulis pointed out that “vaccination days” would not affect the part of society of retirement age, where the safety and efficacy of vaccines are highly questionable.
Three days are provided
According to the draft proposed by the LVŽS faction, the employer, at the request of the employee, must give the employee a day off, paying the employee his average salary, within three days after vaccination against a contagious pandemic disease for which a state of emergency and / or quarantine.
Vacancy days after vaccination may not be granted at the expense of the annual leave provided for in article 128 of the Labor Code.
According to the farmers, the so-called “vaccination day” would belong to all those vaccinated, regardless of the vaccine they received and whether there were side effects. It would be regulated in a similar way to the usual days of mothers and fathers and would be borne by the employer.
Under the current regimen, a person who feels unwell after a vaccination may see a general practitioner and become incapacitated by fever or other symptoms, but the project leadership group believes that initiating a mass vaccination in this procedure involves a great burden for GPs and increases the bureaucratic burden on the health system.
The members of the Seimas, Tomas Tomilinas, Linas Kukuraitis, Giedrius Surplys, Jonas Jarutis, Aurelijus Veryga, Laima Nagienė, Lukas Savickas, registered amendments to the law.
