More Convergence on Coercion: Reflecting on Vaccine Mandates in 2026; A Response to Recent Commentaries

Document Type : Correspondence

Authors

1 VaxPol Lab, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

2 Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia

3 School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Keywords


Introduction

As we finalised our analysis of the adoption of mandatory policies for childhood vaccines in four high-income jurisdictions for our publication, “Convergence on Coercion,”1 every country on earth was grappling with how to drive uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. ...(Read more...)

  1. Attwell K, Hannah A. Convergence on Coercion: Functional and Political Pressures as Drivers of Global Childhood Vaccine Mandates. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2022;11(11):2660-2671. doi:34172/ijhpm.2022.6518
  2. Hale T, Angrist N, Goldszmidt R, et al. A global panel database of pandemic policies (Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker). Nat Hum Behav. 2021;5(4):529-538. doi:1038/s41562-021-01079-8
  3. Odone A, Dallagiacoma G, Vigezzi GP. Vaccine mandates in the COVID-19 era: changing paradigm or public health opportunity? Comment on “Convergence on coercion: functional and political pressures as drivers of global childhood vaccine mandates.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2023;12:7616. doi:34172/ijhpm.2022.7616
  4. Nilormi A, Bensimon CM, Thomas M, Wiles S, Wilson K. A scoping review of vaccine certificate implementation in Canada and OECD countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: Outcomes and lessons learned. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2026;22(1):2622178. doi:1080/21645515.2026.2622178
  5. Avigur-Eshel A. Individualized promises in times of pandemic: green pass and the legitimation of covid-19 vaccination policies. Crit Policy Stud. 2023;17(3):447-463. doi:1080/19460171.2022.2147852
  6. Wang B, Ping Y. A comparative analysis of COVID-19 vaccination certificates in 12 countries/regions around the world: Rationalising health policies for international travel and domestic social activities during the pandemic. Health Policy. 2022;126(8):755-762. doi:1016/j.healthpol.2022.05.016
  7. Barkane I, O’Cathaoir K, Slokenberga S, Eenmaa H. The legal implications of COVID-19 vaccination certificates: implementation experiences from Nordic and Baltic region. The 8th International Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia; 2022:209-223.
  8. Marelli L, Zimmermann B, Machado H, et al. COVID-19 Health Certificates: analysis of policy implementation, framings, and controversies in nine European countries. Scie Public Policy. 2026;53(2):184-196. doi:1093/scipol/scaf028
  9. Arakpogun EO, Rodrigo P, Olan F. You shall not pass without a jab: an institutional theory perspective to COVID-19 vaccine passport policies. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(21):14105. doi:3390/ijerph192114105
  10. Campanozzi LL, Tambone V, Ciccozzi M. A lesson from the green pass experience in Italy: a narrative review. Vaccines. 2022;10(9):1483. doi:10.3390/vaccines10091483
  11. Dubé È, Dionne M, Rochette L. Exploring the impact of Quebec’s vaccine lottery and vaccine passports on COVID-19 vaccination intention: Findings from repeated cross-sectional surveys. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2022;18(6):2100168. doi:1080/21645515.2022.2100168
  12. Gravagna K, Becker A, Valeris-Chacin R, et al. Global assessment of national mandatory vaccination policies and consequences of non-compliance. Vaccine. 2020;38(49):7865-7873. doi:10.1016/j. vaccine.2020.09.063
  13. Weets CM, Wilson R, Swadley H, Katz R. Strengthening health security through routine vaccination policy: A comprehensive analysis of childhood vaccination laws across 194 countries. Vaccine. 2025;54:127121. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127121
  14. Guaraldi F, Montalti M, Gori D. The importance of mapping determinants, attitudes and beliefs of vaccine hesitancy in the great challenge of compulsory childhood vaccination: Comment on “Convergence on coercion: functional and political pressures as drivers of global childhood vaccine mandates.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2023;12:7614. doi:34172/ijhpm.2023.7614
  15. MacDonald NE, Dube E, Comeau J. Vaccines, politics and mandates: can we see the forest for the trees? Comment on "Convergence on coercion: functional and political pressures as drivers of global childhood vaccine mandates.” Int J Health Policy Manag. 2022;12:7572. doi:34172/ijhpm.2022.7572
  16. Kamaruzaman NK, Duong H, Ong-Lim AL, et al. COVID-19 vaccine mandates in southeast asia: a comparative study of policies in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. World Med Health Policy. 2025;17(3):510-528. doi:1002/wmh3.70018
  17. Duong H, Attwell K. How Vaccine Mandates Emerged Without a Mandate: Testing Stream Independence in Vietnam's COVID‐19 Response. Review of Policy Research. 2026;43(2). doi:1111/ropr.70087
  18. Guan Y. The effectiveness of coercive measures in motivating vaccination: Evidence from China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Glob Public Health. 2025;20(1):2445827. doi:1080/17441692.2024.2445827
  19. Duong H, Kamaruzaman NK, Attwell K. Rethinking vaccine mandates through the lens of penalties and incentives: a 7S framework approach. Global Public Health. 2026; Forthcoming.
  20. Moran NE, Gainotti S, Petrini C. From compulsory to voluntary immunisation: Italy's National Vaccination Plan (2005-7) and the ethical and organisational challenges facing public health policy-makers across Europe. J Med Ethics. 2008;34(9):669-674. doi:1136/jme.2007.022343
  21. Antonini M, Genie MG, Attwell K, et al. Are we ready for the next pandemic? Public preferences and trade-offs between vaccine characteristics and societal restrictions across 21 countries. Soc Sci Med. 2025;366:117687. doi:1016/j.socscimed.2025.117687
  22. Attwell K, Hannah A, Drislane S, Navin MC. Policy feedback and the politics of childhood vaccine mandates: conflict and change in California, 2012–2019. J Health Polit Policy Law. 2024;49(6):1075-1110. doi:1215/03616878-11377933
  23. Thomasson A. Treading the link between consent and coercion: The legal treatment of the right to bodily integrity in the contect of COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Australia. University of Western Australia Law Review. 2025.
  24. Quigley M. Are health nudges coercive? Monash Bioethics Review. 2014;32(1):141-158. doi:1007/s40592-014-0008-5

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 17 May 2026
  • Received Date: 29 April 2026
  • Revised Date: 07 May 2026
  • Accepted Date: 09 May 2026
  • First Published Date: 17 May 2026
  • Published Date: 17 May 2026