Reply to a classmate
Ethical or moral issues have been associated with the effective distribution of vaccines in the U.S. for contagious diseases like the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Theorists have presented varying ethical approaches to solve dilemmas and ensure coverage of 100% of the American population. First, the utilitarianism approach will be highly effective in allocating or distributing the vaccine since it holds on providing the greatest good for the majority in society (Marquis & Huston, 2021). According to the theory, the end justifies the means, and vaccines should be distributed nationally with priority on essential/frontline workers and those at high risk to mitigate the spread of the contagious disease when in contact with the infected individuals. When this happens, most people will be protected from contact infections since care providers and vulnerable groups will be vaccinated as the nation continues to manufacture more of the vaccine.
On the other hand, there is a combination of utilitarianism and duty-based theory to guide in making a more ethical decision or solution for distribution and the proper allocation of the vaccine. According to the duty-based ethical reasoning approach, some choices must be made since there is a duty to do something or take a different course of action. In this case, vaccine providers or distributors must decide on vaccinating frontline care providers and vulnerable groups or those at risk of exposure to the contagious disease because they must prevent its spread (Marquis & Huston, 2021). The duty-based approach shares a similar strategy to the utilitarian approach that focuses on saving the lives of the majority by focusing on the duty to prevent the spread of contagious diseases through contact tracing and vaccine distribution in the correct order.