With government moving to place greater restrictions on access to public spaces by unvaccinated persons, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony yesterday said the decision was driven by the need to ensure public safety.
“So, it is one way of ensuring that the environments in the public are much safer because if you have vaccinated people then the chances are we’ll have a much safer environment when we visit those places,” Anthony said during Monday’s COVID-19 update.
“And it’s not only for the people who are accessing the services, it’s also for the people who are working there. Because we have to create the safe environment if we are going to push back against the COVID-19 disease,” he added.
Under the new measure, which was gazetted on Saturday, members of the public who want to enter privately-owned buildings — to which the public has lawful access — now have to be vaccinated or alternatively will have to show evidence of a recent negative PCR test or make an appointment.
The measure, which had previously applied only to state buildings, now covers to privately-held buildings that house malls, supermarkets and schools. It also stipulates that where an employee who works in a public building is unvaccinated and wishes to enter the building that person must present a negative PCR test taken within seven days of the day.
It has been seen by some critics as a widening of an indirect vaccine mandate and acting Opposition Leader Roysdale Forde SC on Sunday labelled it wholly authoritarian. “It effectively mandates and imposes vaccination on every citizen. This measure runs contrary to all the tenets of personal liberties including an individual’s freedom of conscience as enshrined in Article 147 of the Constitution,” he said in a statement on Sunday. “This measure represents the erosion of the rights of the citizens and imposes executive tyranny on the citizens of Guyana,” he added.
He urged the PPP to immediately rescind the measure and immediately engage in an emergency all stakeholders forum to chart a prudent and responsible National COVID-19 Management Plan. “The APNU+AFC… remains ready and willing to contribute. Indeed it is obligatory that our involvement is treated with the highest priority,” he said.
During Monday’s COVID-19 update, Anthony noted that over the preceding 24 hours, 101 new COVID-19 cases had been recorded and there were some 2,000 active cases. “So, again, what this is saying to us is that we have to be more cautious,” he said.
Anthony also reported that to date 320,747 persons, equivalent to 62.5% of the eligible adult population, have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 168,201 of them or 32.8% have received the required two doses.
He also mentioned that under the vaccination drive to inoculate children who are 12 and over, a total of 9,998 children have been vaccinated. He added that drive has been underway in regions Two, Three, Four, Six and Nine, with the regions to be targeted this week.
