T&T HEADS TO VACCINE MANDATE

WITH a surfeit of Covid-19 jabs, high number of deaths and sluggish economy, Trinidad and Tobago may be heading to a vaccine mandate.  

What form would the mandate take?
That may be the problem facing Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, who is already moving to extend the current State of Emergency to mid-November. 

Vaccine mandates have been introduced in some countries. 

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has mandated that by the end of October, bureaucrats, transportation workers and air and rail travellers must have the jab. 

Some employees in the United States, including those in the airline industry, are being mandated to get the vaccine. 

Several states in the US are considering implementing mass vaccination. 

The government of the United Kingdom has legislated that health care workers must receive the vaccine. 

Such a programme, along with the wearing of facial masks, is the only realistic path out of the pandemic, according to some medical commentators.  

Trade unions in both countries are opposing the move.   

The mandate has come into focus because the reluctance of millions of people in the US, Canada, Britain and other countries to get vaccinated. 

There is a similar situation in T&T, with a large number of people refusing to get the vaccine for a range of dubious reasons. 

If Rowley opts for a vaccine mandate, he may do so for the public service, which is under the government’s direct control. 

T&T is a long way from getting herd immunity. 

The government has been under pressure to fully re-open the economy. 

Republic Bank has introduced mandatory PCR tests for unvaccinated employees, effective September 6.