by Linda Straker
- All staff at quarantine facilities for incoming passengers will have to be vaccinated
- Government has obtained 23,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine
- Goal to vaccinate at least 60% of the adult population
Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has confirmed that Government will adopt a policy in which all staff at facilities that provide quarantine for incoming passengers, will have to be vaccinated as part of the Government’s plan to protect citizens from an outbreak of Covid-19 in the community.
“Here in Grenada, to help protect our frontline workers, all accommodation facilities providing quarantine for inbound travellers will be required to have all staff vaccinated soon,” he announced during a national address on Wednesday, 31 March 2021.
“A few short months ago, we saw how rapidly the case numbers rose when employees at one hotel contracted the disease. With deadlier variants of the coronavirus now in circulation around the world, we must take all the necessary measures to protect our people but at the same time, allow them to continue their livelihoods. I, therefore, encourage everyone who meets the eligibility criteria to get vaccinated,” he said, confirming that there are presently thousands of vaccines in stock through the Ministry of Health facility.
“Despite the heavy global demand for Covid-19 vaccines, Government has obtained 23,000 doses of AstraZeneca, a good start as we seek to vaccinate at least 60% of the adult population.” Dr Mitchell urged citizens to see the vaccine as a protective measure that will make some aspects of the new normal like physical distancing, a thing of the past.
“I urge you to protect yourself, protect your loved ones, protect your neighbours, protect your country. We are all in this together, therefore we must all work together to safeguard our people, our country, our future,” said Dr Mitchell as he appealed to citizens.
Grenada has zero active cases of Covid-19, one in isolation and more than 300 inbound passengers from regional and international destinations in quarantine. Since the first case was diagnosed in March 2020, Grenada has recorded a total of 155 cases with 1 death.
The country began its vaccination programme on 1 February 2021. To date, over 10,000 citizens have taken the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in India.
How can you make something mandatory that has not been proven to be 100% safe? Is that even legal? What happens if someone affected by this mandate dies as a result of the vaccine? Is the government liable? This seems to go against human rights.
= Assault. In the countries keeping track, the vaccine death toll (death within 48 hours on average) is approaching 7 K. If I had a job in one of these facilities I would quit rather than risk my life on an unapproved genetic therapy.
There is no question on the need to vaccinate frontline healthcare workers and those interfacing directly with arriving passengers. The problem, however, is choice of vaccine. With all the bad publicity over the $4 US vaccine associated with blood clotting, Government should not make vaccination with that product mandatory.