Dear Editor,
Considering US President Biden’s orders that all federal workers must be vaccinated and encouraging private employers to require the same, the PNC unions – GTU, GPSU, and TUC -must be feeling very foolish right now. History will record that at a time when the world faces an international health crisis, and the number of infections in Guyana is at an all-time high with more younger children becoming infected by new strains of the deadly virus, that some Guyanese teachers and nurses have refused to be vaccinated and their unions have sued the new Government for regulations introduced by the former PNC government. Why did these unions not sue the PNC and are now suing the PPP government?
Never mind that over five and a half billion people in 186 countries around the world have taken the vaccine. Guyana has some teachers and nurses who are “smarter” than people all over the world, and are refusing to take the vaccine and want the Government to pay for their weekly tests. This is delusional thinking. They want to hold illegal strikes and expect the Government to still pay them for not working. I say good luck with that! No work, no pay. You chose that. Mr. Bhagwandin makes the point that there is nothing else we can say to the unvaccinated to change their minds. The words of Dr. Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital apply to Guyana – “People in this country have no appreciation of how fortunate we are and how easily we could return to some level of normalcy if everybody would just do their part, and I think it is unfortunately going to take sticks because we’re all out of carrots,” Christakis said. US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said, in order for the Covid-19 pandemic to end, “preemptive vaccination remains the key.” In West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice said hospitals in the state are still overwhelmingly inundated with cases of people that are not vaccinated. “We just need to use good sense, and get ourselves vaccinated, and then we’ll stop this,” he said.
Guyana’s Catholic Bishop Alleyne said, “The severe threat of the pandemic and the increasing numbers of infections and deaths warrants strong measures and this asks of us, not only that we comply with reliable scientific guidance but out of our Christian conviction, to go beyond the call and act in favour of the common good to the extent that it is necessary and involves sacrifice. ‘If anyone requires you to go one mile, go two miles with him’ (Matt. 5:41).” Bishop Alleyne said, “The term ‘Herd Immunity’ has been presented to us. It means that when a high percentage of the population (80%) has been vaccinated it becomes extremely difficult for the virus to spread. The science is sound on this and worthy of our trust. The official teaching of the Church is that we would all access a vaccine and remain vigilant. I therefore give the strongest encouragement to our brothers and sisters who have still not been vaccinated to please reconsider your decision. I am calling on you to act in the interest of the common good and to do your part in safeguarding the well-being of all.”
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall