BELIZE CITY, Wed. July 28, 2021– This week, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Michel Chebat finally affirmed what many unvaccinated frontline workers had feared — that they will have to cover the cost of their bi-weekly Covid-19 test if they opt not to receive the vaccine. Earlier this month, the Minister signed Statutory Instrument 74 of 2021, which included a provision that mandates testing for unvaccinated frontline workers.

A list of 11 professions that would be classified as frontline work was outlined in the legislation. Persons who are engaged in such frontline work are encouraged to get vaccinated this month to avoid being subjected to the bi-weekly testing. Those workers who choose not to get vaccinated and show up at their workplace without an approved Covid-19 test will be marked as absent.

Since the enactment of the new law, many in the public, including a band of anti-vaxxers, have expressed their opposition to the regulations. The president of the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), Senator Elena Smith, in outlining her objections to the law, had told local media that teachers, who were recently subject to a 10% salary cut, would not be able to afford the bi-weekly testing.

Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, had told local reporters, however, that police officers would not have to pay personally for testing, but he had not mentioned what persons or entities would be covering the cost.

This week, however, after a number of allusions were made by several government officials over the past weeks in response to questions about how the cost of testing would be covered, an explicit, specific statement was made on the matter — by the Health Minister himself. Hon. Chebat said that workers will have to cover the cost of testing at both public and private healthcare institutions. While he acknowledged the cost of the bi-weekly testing as an added expense for front-liners, he pointed out that the cost associated with the pandemic is also burdensome to the country.

In emphasizing how costly it has been been for the government to vaccinate the population and provide care to infected persons, Hon. Chebat cited recent estimates which indicate a cost of almost $46,000 to treat each COVID-29 patient in public hospitals. In private institutions, that cost could go up to $200,000, according to the Health Minister.

Starting in the month of August, frontline workers will thus be mandated to provide either a negative rapid or PCR Covid-19 test every two weeks to be allowed to carry out their duties at their respective workplaces.