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‘Vaccination remains voluntary & a personal decision’- Premier reiterates
The Premier reaffirmed his government’s policy while delivering a statement entitled “Let’s Bring the COVID-19 Situation Back Under Control.”
Just yesterday, July 12, 2021, a group of local anti-vaxxers led by radio host Floyd Burnett aka 'Heritage' delivered a petition to the Governor of the Virgin Islands, calling for an end to the Government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme as well as an investigation into the alleged discrimination against unvaccinated workers.
Increase in cases & deaths
Ahead of the move, Premier Fahie in his Friday address had subtly pointed out the tone-deaf reasoning behind the arguments against vaccination.
He said amidst these arguments, the infections have increased and have come closer to home, bringing an increase in deaths.
As of 8:00 am today, July 13, 2021, there have been 4 COVID-19 related deaths in the VI.
“There are debates about persons' rights. May I reiterate that vaccination remains voluntary, and it remains a personal decision. We must respect each other’s choice and their rights.”
The Premier said; however, that whether a person has taken the vaccine or not, they still have a personal responsibility to be cautious and responsible in their interactions at home and in public.
“Your responsibility is to follow the public health protocol and, if you are the owner or operator of a business, your responsibility is to ensure your employees and your customers are being cautious and responsible in following the protocols,” he said.
Report public health violations
Further, Hon Fahie said that persons must also report violations of public health policies within businesses and the wider community.
“If you see an individual, a business, an employee or another customer not following the protocols, report it to the manager, and if necessary report it to the authorities,” he said.
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22 Responses to “‘Vaccination remains voluntary & a personal decision’- Premier reiterates”
The vaccine is proven to prevent serious illlness, hospitalizations and deaths due to Covid.
BVI opened up it’s borders to get the economy going and a largely unvaccinated population is suffering the consequences of open borders without the benefit of vaccine protection from Covid infection. It’s been happening all over the World. The BVI is not the only Country in the world that kept Covid at bay with insularity and protective protocols, that only faced infection surges when protocols relaxed, tourists returned, and the resident population was mainly unvaccinated.
How can it be a choice if you lose everything if you don't make "the right choice"? If you chose not to get vaccinated, you can be fired from your job. People have posted in the comment section in other stories about wanting to put out people they are living with for not getting the jab.
Saying it's a choice at this point is like saying if someone robs you with a gun you can chose to give them your money or not. Obviously if you chose not you'll get shot and might even die.
The government needs to take a strong stance and protect the rights of the people. Instead they are letting private individuals and companies fight their battles and say the things they dare not utter.
A set of cowards! Talking about 21 days of fasting of praying...Weak men who invoke the name of God.
I'm not afraid of pain. According to the vaccinated people's mythos, I'm in greater danger by not taking the vaccine so how am I the coward for taking the so-called "harder route"?
Cowardice is doing what others tell you without using your own brain just so you can make people happy even when they don't think or understand.
Cowardice is not having faith that God will make things right in the end.
Cowardice is sacrificing the future for the present because you're afraid to take responsibility for yourself and your decisions.
Cowardice is telling people they need to trust the science, follow logic and then turning around and shaming people into doing what you want, making emotional appeals and using mind games when the facts don't support your actions.
If you chose to be vaccinated, I respect your choice but others have the right to make their own choices. The way I see things, I can't be free if my neighbour isn't free. I can't have my rights if my neighbour is enslaved.
Today it is this and it'll seem reasonable but tomorrow it will be something else. When you start denying one group of people their rights, it makes it easier to lose yours as there will be no one to stand for you.
That's what I keep telling people. Fear is no reason to allow your human rights to be violated. Time will carry on. This too will pass. We might not all survive but someone will. I'm concerned about how that world will look. Life has to carry on after COVID. We have to learn to live and adjust to it. To me, it makes no sense to live and breathe if you can't have your basic human dignities.
Becareful in making the government your shepherd, sheep get slaughtered.
P.S a ventilator will kill you if your using it against a flu just saying
So many different countries are trying different approaches, we have lots of sources to draw from but we're only taking the advice of one entity. We aren't doing anything proactive. We aren't doing our own research or collecting our own data.
We should have always been testing, not just when there's an upsurge. That would have given us a better idea of what's going on.
Stop lying to yourself.!!
Meanwhile I accept all the negativity.
Please family of the BVI wait no longer, make the decision to protect us all and get vaccinated.
We have to continue to rebuild and we can’t do that at home closed to the world.
Vaccinate, stay 6ft apart, sanitize and wear your mask ( over your nose and mouth).