Can I refuse the coronavirus vaccine?

On 2 December 2020, the UK approved the Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine for Coronavirus.¹ With the roll-out of this vaccine expected in the next upcoming months, this brings a variety of issues in relation to whether this vaccine is mandatory.

The current UK legislation, The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 prohibits powers on mandatory medical treatment including vaccines. Although this cannot be made mandatory, it is recommended. Due to the nature of Dentistry and the General Dental Council immunisation requirements, there is a likelihood an employer may try to enforce this vaccine on their employees. This could create a variety of legal issues for the employer should the employee refuse, which are explored below.