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Learn more: [PMC Disclaimer](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/about/disclaimer/) \| [PMC Copyright Notice](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/about/copyright/)  letter J Public Health (Oxf) . 2022 Apr 3:fdac037. doi: [10\.1093/pubmed/fdac037](https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdac037) - [Search in PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/?term=%22J%20Public%20Health%20\(Oxf\)%22%5Bjour%5D) - [Search in PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22J%20Public%20Health%20\(Oxf\)%22%5Bjour%5D) - [View in NLM Catalog](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog?term=%22J%20Public%20Health%20\(Oxf\)%22%5BTitle%20Abbreviation%5D) - [Add to search](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/?term=%22J%20Public%20Health%20\(Oxf\)%22%5Bjour%5D) # COVID-19 vaccination: is it mandatory or optional? [Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22Situmorang%20DDB%22%5BAuthor%5D) ### Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang 1 Department of Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education and Language, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, 12930, Indonesia Find articles by [Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22Situmorang%20DDB%22%5BAuthor%5D) 1,✉ - Author information - Article notes - Copyright and License information 1 Department of Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education and Language, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, 12930, Indonesia ✉ Address correspondence to Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang, E-mail: david.biondi@atmajaya.ac.id Received 2022 Feb 17; Accepted 2022 Feb 22. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model (<https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model>) This article is made available via the PMC Open Access Subset for unrestricted re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic or until permissions are revoked in writing. Upon expiration of these permissions, PMC is granted a perpetual license to make this article available via PMC and Europe PMC, consistent with existing copyright protections. [PMC Copyright notice](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/about/copyright/) PMCID: PMC8992354 PMID: [35373839](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35373839/) ## Abstract In Indonesia, controversy about the COVID-19 vaccination is still going on, there is a group of people who believe in this vaccine, and another group chooses not to believe. There are those who support this as mandatory, but there are also those who think that this is optional. Hopefully through this letter, we can all respect the decisions of every human being who has free will and has full rights over their own life. **Keywords:** COVID-19 vaccination, human rights, Indonesia, mandatory *** Dear Editor, In response to the latest article on the topic of opposing views: associations of political polarization, political party affiliation and social trust with COVID-19 vaccination intent and receipt.[1](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref1) This topic is very relevant to what is happening in Indonesia today. Controversy about the COVID-19 vaccination is still going on, there is a group of people who believe in this vaccine, and another group chooses not to believe.[2–4](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref2) This is not for no reasons; some facts found in the field, it is proven that those who were vaccinated even more prone to contracting COVID-19 infection,[5](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref5),[6](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref6) even among them who died after being vaccinated.[7](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref7) Scientific evidence also explains that the COVID-19 vaccine does not fully guarantee that a person will not contract COVID-19;[8](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref8),[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref9) moreover, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot guarantee that there will be no negative impact on the body in the next few years.[10](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref10) In addition, when COVID-19 mutates to another variant, a person will continue to be vaccinated many times.[9](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref9),[11](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref11) These things have resulted in a group of people choosing to refuse to be vaccinated and take care of their own health in their own way.[10](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref10) There is a case that recently occurred in Indonesia, where there was a group of COVID-19 vaccine officers who were forced to inject vaccines to a citizen who did not believe in or refused the vaccine[12](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref12) and to children.[13](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref13) This is a gross violation of human rights. Why? Because vaccination is for those who consciously and voluntarily want to be vaccinated, they must first fill out informed consent.[14](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref14),[15](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref15) If there is someone who knowingly and not volunteered to be vaccinated, then their rights and decisions should be respected. Because this is also protected by the law in force in Indonesia, namely the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 36 of 2009 concerning Health, especially in Chapter III concerning Rights and Obligations, in the first section Rights article 5 point (3): *‘every person has the right to independently and responsibly determine the health services needed for him/herself’*.[16](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref16) In this regard, the Indonesian government should be able to respect the decision of every citizen to choose every choice, whether they want to be vaccinated or not. Don’t let what you do as mandatory actually violate human rights. We know that a COVID-19 vaccine is one way to go, but it is not the only way. There are many other ways that we can do together, namely by (i) *\`Memakai masker'* (Wear masks); (ii) *\`Menjaga jarak'* (Keep your distance); (iii) *\`Mencuci tangan'* (Washing hands); (iv) *\`Menjauhi kerumunan'* (Stay away from crowds) and (v) *\`Mengurangi mobilisasi'* (Reduced mobilization).[17](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref17) In addition, by always maintaining a healthy body by always exercising, eating healthy foods and doing fun things to increase the body’s immunity.[18](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref18) Hopefully through this letter, we can all respect the decisions of every human being who has free will[19](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref19) and has full rights over their own life.[20](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8992354/#ref20) ## Funding The author declared no funding was received for this paper. ## Conflict of interest The author declares no conflict of interest in this paper. ## References - 1\. 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