The Belize government is exploring the possibility of mandatory vaccination for citizens as the country reported the presence of several variants of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Belize has recorded 341 deaths and 14, 578 positive cases linked to the virus since the first case was detected in March last year.
Several Caribbean countries are contemplating mandatory vaccination with demonstrations taking place in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines against the measure.
A statement issued here following the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said that Cabinet “has requested the Attorney General seek medical expertise from the Ministry of Health & Wellness to explore all necessary legal measures that the government may lawfully implement to help contain the spread of COVD-19, including options to implement mandatory coronavirus vaccinations for both the public and private sectors or to require vaccination passes for the use of public spaces and for business facilities”.
The statement said that the Cabinet has also asked the Attorney General to “explore the increase in penalties for offences relating to the spread of falsehoods, in particular, the spread of disinformation on public health matters”.
According to the statement, Cabinet had received an update from the Ministry of Health & Wellness informing that Belize is currently experiencing its third wave of COVID-19.
“In addition, reports received from the Central Medical Laboratory on 9th August 2021 indicate the presence of the following variants in Belize: Alpha, Gamma and Delta. In response to the presence of the very active Delta variant, Cabinet agreed to extend the current regulations, including the 9:00 pm. to 4:00 am (local time) curfew until 31st August 2021,” the statement added.
The government has said that as of Monday, 32 percent of the population or 141,770 persons have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 13 percent or 56, 330 are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the attorney for the Belize Police Association, Dickie Bradley, has criticized the decision to send police officers home for their failure to present their COVID vaccination cards or a COVID negative test result.
“So the law is that frontline workers, which include the police, are to get vaccinated or show proof that they do not have the COVID virus. They can only do that if they go and get a formal test. And the Statutory Instrument that governs that particular matter requires that if you are not vaccinated and you are a frontline worker you are to bring a test every two weeks,” Bradley told News Five television on Tuesday night.
He said last week, written instructions were sent out to all police formations, commanders and all those in authority over other police officers, repeating what is in the law.
According to the attorney, the police officers who reported for duty on Monday had to show proof that they have been vaccinated.
“If they have not been vaccinated. If they have not been vaccinated they must show that they have taken the test. You can’t tell an organization of over 2,000 police officers that among their members everybody must come Monday morning who’s reporting for duty with either a vaccination card or the result of a test,” he added.
CMC
