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Vaccines might become mandatory, says GOB

GeneralVaccines might become mandatory, says GOB

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 11, 2021– Yesterday, the Cabinet decided to extend the duration of the regulations that were put into place under Statutory Instrument (SI) 74 in an effort to staunch the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Belize, on the heels of the discovery of the much-feared Delta variant in the country. The current curfew which limits movement of the public from 9:00 p.m. to 4: 00 a.m. will thus remain in place until August 31.

“In response to the presence of the very active Delta variant, Cabinet agreed to extend the current regulations,” a Cabinet brief stated.

This variant of concern, first identified in India, has taken hold of the globe — becoming the dominant variant in various regions.

In Belize, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has officially declared an active third wave impacting the country, which is evident in the increased number of cases of infection, hospitalizations, and unfortunately, deaths.

The most recent statistics, which were released today, Wednesday, August 11, are indicating that there were 94 new Covid-19 cases, 15 hospitalizations, and 3 deaths recorded over the previous day.

In light of the unsettling numbers, vaccinations have become an even more central strategy in the government’s efforts at containment of the virus. At the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Prime Minister, Hon. John Briceño, was also given an update on those numbers and the number of vaccines available within the country.

As of August 9, approximately 56,330 persons in the country have been fully vaccinated, which constitutes about 13% of our population. More than double that number — 141,770 persons, or 32 percent of the population — have already received one dose.

With the current science pointing to vaccination of the population as the key to reopening economies, many countries are seeking to pinpoint any methods that are available to them to legally mandate vaccination among their population.

While in some quarters, the conversation about mandatory vaccinations is giving rise to concerns about human rights violations, others are in support of the idea.

The Government of Belize has since tasked the Attorney General, Magali Marin Young, with seeking medical expertise and assessing the potential legality of a possible mandatory vaccine measure. Specifically, according to the Cabinet brief issued on Tuesday, she has been asked 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.”

Requiring persons who seek to enter public spaces or business facilities to present a vaccination card might force many with reservations about taking the vaccine to get the jab, or at least start the inoculation process in order to receive a card.

The Cabinet is also asking the Attorney General to find a way to go after those persons spreading falsehoods about Covid-19 and the vaccination process.

Recently, the Office of the Attorney General issued a statement that condemned an anti-vaxxer declaration form drafted by an unnamed attorney that was purported to be a cease and desist order that workers could present to employers requesting vaccination or bi-weekly testing, as required by (SI) 74.

The Attorney General’s office called the non-binding form illegal and a disservice to the efforts of the government to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. GOB will now be looking into avenues to prosecute those persons and others who spread false information concerning the virus.

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