Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves while expressing gratitude to the nation’s public servants continued his plea for teachers that have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, to do so.
According to the Prime Minister, most of the positions that the teachers have left have not been filled permanently and are still available to the teachers that vacated them, should they decide to take the vaccine.
“I want to thank public servants who overwhelmingly have been doing a fantastic job; I want them to know that I love them very much. I want to plead again with the teachers, in this period of respairing, in this period of fresh hope, please take the vaccine. I want to see you come back and work” Gonsalves said.
He goes on to say “We haven’t filled the overwhelming majority of the positions permanently because I am waiting on you; I’m waiting on you, please. The vaccine isn’t going to kill you; the vaccine isn’t going to harm you”
Prime Minister Gonsalves noted that there is “abundance of evidence from about 40,000 people in the country that have taken it”
Gonsalves said the positions are expected to be filled by the end of July 2022.
Under The Public Health (Public bodies Special Measures) Rules, 2021 which came into effect on November 19th, 2021, all teachers, unless they have received an exemption, are prohibited from entering the workplace unless they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
