Bill Overview
Title: End Lockdowns and Vaccine Mandates Act
Description: This bill prohibits a federal, state, or local government from placing restrictions on opening, remaining in, or entering a place of business (i.e., lockdowns) as part of that government's response to prevent the spread of communicable diseases or from requiring vaccinations in connection with employment.
Sponsors: Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-4]
Target Audience
Population: Global working adults subject to lockdowns and vaccine mandates
Estimated Size: 170000000
- Lockdowns and vaccine mandates were globally recognized methods to combat the spread of COVID-19.
- Many countries and regions around the world imposed lockdown measures at some point during the pandemic.
- Vaccine mandates for employment have been considered in several countries, especially those with higher economic stakes and larger public health systems.
- The broader target population includes anyone subject to lockdowns or vaccine mandates, meaning businesses and working adults.
Reasoning
- The budget allows for targeted communication and education efforts about the change in policy, potentially providing mental health or transition resources for those affected by sudden policy changes.
- Given the policy's primary focus is on lockdowns and vaccines, we need to understand the perspectives from diverse business owners, workers, and individuals who may be directly impacted by such mandates.
- Not every person or business will be directly affected – for example, those working remotely, in sectors that did not face significant lockdowns, or in areas with low vaccine mandate compliance.
- The policy may ease business operations and employment for those previously restricted, but could also raise public health concerns among some groups who believe in preventive health mandates.
Simulated Interviews
Restaurant Owner (New York City, NY)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The constant opening and closing of my restaurant due to lockdowns has been incredibly stressful.
- While I am relieved that I can operate freely now, I am worried about potential health risks to staff.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Oil Field Worker (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate not being forced to vaccinate for my job.
- There’s a sense of freedom, but I worry about future outbreaks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Public School Teacher (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ending mandates could risk student health and safety.
- I support measures that keep the community safe.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Tech Industry Employee (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy change doesn't greatly affect my work-life directly.
- I hope this encourages more office re-openings safely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Independent Farmer (Rural Idaho)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy changes made no difference to my work.
- It's good to have more freedom in business decisions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Healthcare Worker (Boston, MA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ending mandates might lead to more health outbreaks.
- I believe in getting vaccinated to protect everyone, especially with my job.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 3 |
Retail Store Manager (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy alleviates business operation stress.
- There’s still an underlying health concern among staff and customers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Graduate Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Curious to see how this affects academic environments.
- Mostly unaffected by lockdown changes now but prefer flexible learning setups.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Corporate Office Admin (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I value safety over the policy’s removal of mandates.
- It’s important our workspace remains safe. Without mandates, this could be harder.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 4 |
Fitness Trainer (Denver, CO)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might help stabilize my client base.
- I worry about reduced business if another outbreak happens.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2500000000 (Low: $1500000000, High: $4000000000)
Year 2: $2605000000 (Low: $1560000000, High: $4160000000)
Year 3: $2710200000 (Low: $1616400000, High: $4326400000)
Year 5: $2924130000 (Low: $1744920000, High: $4669560000)
Year 10: $3376820000 (Low: $2026092000, High: $5418888000)
Year 100: $9141015000 (Low: $5484609000, High: $14625624000)
Key Considerations
- The delicate balance between public health and economic activity needs to be managed to avoid potential long-term economic and health repercussions.
- The costs associated with increased disease transmission versus savings from reduced compliance requirements must be closely evaluated.
- Understanding differences in state-level responses can guide cost and saving predictions more accurately.