Edward B. Beharry and Company Limited is among the first companies in Guyana to implement a policy to protect vaccinated workers by mandating that staff who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine provide evidence of a negative PCR test result every five days.
According to a memorandum that was given to employees, and which was seen by Stabroek News, unvaccinated employees will have to provide a negative PCR test every five days to the Head of Department before resuming work. This was confirmed by an employees of the entity.
The company will only be accepting test results from laboratories that have been approved and accredited by the Ministry of Health.
Unvaccinated staff will also be required to wear only KN95 masks. The company will not stand the expense of the tests or supply specified mask. It is unclear what the consequences are should unvaccinated staff fail to adhere to the new policy.
The policy has seen polarised responses after it was shared on Facebook, with some members of the public commending the company for protecting those who have been vaccinated, while others questioned the morality behind seeking to coerce those with reservations about vaccination.
The new policy went into effect on the same day that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) said that it would support any action taken by the government to protect the COVID-19-vaccinated population from those who have decided not to take the vaccine.
“The Private Sector Commission is ready and willing to support all and any action taken by our government that will serve to protect our population from the surge of this pandemic, inclusive of a comprehensive policy to be ‘gazetted’, which will ensure that vaccinated citizens are protected against exposure from those who exercise the freedom to refuse to be vaccinated,” the PSC announced on Tuesday.
In addition, it stated that the PSC embraces and recommends that its member companies require that all those of its employees who refuse to be vaccinated must provide evidence of a medically current COVID-19 negative test from infection before reporting to work, while continuing to encourage all of its employees to become vaccinated.
Vaccine passport
Meanwhile, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has since expressed similar views as the PSC but also urged that efforts should also be made to ensure that the customers of businesses are also vaccinated or COVID-19 negative.
“Indeed, it is unfortunate that workers who have taken the vaccine have to be exposed to others who have not or refused to take the vaccine. We can find no conceivable rationale other than a certified health condition for workers not to take the vaccine… To this end, the Federation recognizes some enterprises have taken the matter seriously. Indeed, the health and well-being of the nation’s workers is important,” the umbrella labour body said in a statement on Thursday.
FITUG noted that it is aware that some firms have sought to have unvaccinated employees submit regular PCR tests to confirm their negative status before stating that such measures may be necessary to ensure a safe workplace.
However, FITUG said that business obligations go beyond that and efforts should be made to ensure customers or clients are also vaccinated or COVID-19 negative. “Certainly, businesses cannot coerce employees into vaccination but not seek to ensure that their employees are also protected from contracting the virus from customers.
As a result, FITUG said, it is now prudent for the government to consider the implementation of a vaccination passport or similar measure, while noting that this has been helpful in encouraging vaccine uptake in other areas.
The PSC had also urged the government to require that all medical and security personnel in the frontline who come into contact with other persons must either be vaccinated or provide evidence of a medically current COVID-19 negative test. The PSC also said that a similar system should be in place for all businesses providing hospitality and entertainment services, including restaurants, which should require evidence of either vaccination or a medically current COVID-19 negative test from its customers in order for them to receive service.
‘Balance’
Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali on Thursday noted that government would seek to strike a balance in addressing the issue.
“This is a pandemic this is not a joke… you have to get tough sometimes I have seen some of the guidelines from the private sector. We all have democratic rights but if my friend took the vaccine to protect himself and family, what gives [a person who is not vaccinated] the right to put my friend at risk? Whatever measures we put in place will have to bring balance to the equation,” he said on Thursday on the sidelines of an event at State House.
He mentioned the interest by cinema owners to reopen and said a proposal for the reopening with all the guidelines was being examined. “We are looking at 40% capacity however to qualify to go, you have to be vaccinated and once you are in the cinema you have to keep on your mask … another proposal is, in order to protect the people you raise the level for social places like restaurants from 40% to 60%, add another tier, and in order for you to be there you have to be vaccinated… if you are not vaccinated, you will have to wait a bit… I have went to meetings virtually where the global private sector is saying you are vaccinated that is one tier if you are not vaccinated, at your own cost you have to provide negative PCR test. These are all models we are looking at in grappling with this situation. We have to find the balance,” he further added.
