First of all, I hope I am interpreting your question correctly.
That said, here goes: A doctor's office is uniquely different from establishments like the “local Walmart, bank, church” etc; in that it is for the express purpose of providing for the medical needs of the community. You cannot receive these medical services w/o visiting the office of a doctor or similarly licensed health professional.
Many people who are chronically ill w/certain types of diseases; or, those who require immunosuppresive drug therapy (such as transplant patients), cannot be effectively immunized; therefore, they must rely upon “herd immunity.” So, if someone arbitrarily refuses to be vaccinated they create a greater risk of infection to those who have suppressed immunity.
I am not a physician; however, I would imagine that any doctor who takes his/her Hippocratic Oath seriously (i.e.: “above all do no harm”) would strive to provide an office environment that was as safe as reasonably possible for their patients.
If a physician knowingly allowed a patient with suppressed immunity to be exposed to individuals who were not properly vaccinated that might constitute an ethical violation. In addition, I would imagine that in our highly litigious society, no doctor wants to place himself/herself in a position that would create a significantly greater risk of being sued for malpractice.
Take care,
-Geoff
I understand the difference of the doctor office but those same people that go to the doctor normally also go to the bank, walmart, and church...making contact with the same people that they would make contact with at the doctor office...a lot of the people leave the doctor office and go to walmart to fill the prescription.
The main part of my question was actually about the assumption that the un-vaccinated are at the doctor office do to an illness that they could have been vaccinated for. People go to the doctor office for several reasons...some of them go to get vaccinated...which be the way means they are not vaccinated at the time they are sitting in the waiting room.
“Many people who are chronically ill w/certain types of diseases; or, those who require immunosuppresive drug therapy (such as transplant patients), cannot be effectively immunized; therefore, they must rely upon “herd immunity”
And do most of these people become ill with exposure to illness that we have vaccines for...or is a common cold more commonly the larger danger. If so, wouldn't a better solution be separate waiting rooms for people in this condition?