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Get Vaccinated, Get Tested, Or Go Home: Can It Be Justified?
Anger and resentment are what many felt when the government announced that workers in some departments must either be vaccinated, be tested for Covid twice monthly at their own cost, or go home without pay. In this episode, we hear what the Antigua Trades and Labour Union thinks, and what a medical doctor had to say. We spoke to an employment lawyer and a political analyst as well.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
Background:
The big issue, we thought, was that the new testing policy requires that unvaccinated persons pay for their own tests – a significant cost many would say, especially routinely, and on a government salary during an economic recession. What we learn here, is that not only is the requirement to test at your own cost part of the union's concern, but also the very idea of having to be tested twice a month. Apparently, the discomfort/irritation of being nasal swabbed is an issue as well.
But what is the alternative? There are workers across the public sector who have no desire to be vaccinated. But how do they plan to make sure they don't have Covid, if not by getting tested? The policy affects only some departments, reportedly those whose workers mingle with travelers. But if you're not vaccinated and unwilling to be regularly tested, should you be allowed to remain at work?
Still, many see the policy as unjust and punitive, and feel it is another way of mandating the vaccine through financial pressure, even though the government said it would not make vaccination mandatory. And let's be honest. It does increase the pressure to get jabbed, and that's exactly what the government says it wants to do. Is this the right approach? Has sensitization failed so utterly?
This segment also demonstrates how rife misinformation about vaccines has become, as our analyst incorrectly called the vaccines available to the population in Antigua and Barbuda "experimental" vaccines, which is false. It prompted a response from the medical doctor on the panel, who stated that the vaccines have been tested rigorously, had passed their tests, had met established standards for safety and effectiveness, and had been authorized by regulators for use.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.
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By The Big Issues Production TeamAnger and resentment are what many felt when the government announced that workers in some departments must either be vaccinated, be tested for Covid twice monthly at their own cost, or go home without pay. In this episode, we hear what the Antigua Trades and Labour Union thinks, and what a medical doctor had to say. We spoke to an employment lawyer and a political analyst as well.
The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:
Background:
The big issue, we thought, was that the new testing policy requires that unvaccinated persons pay for their own tests – a significant cost many would say, especially routinely, and on a government salary during an economic recession. What we learn here, is that not only is the requirement to test at your own cost part of the union's concern, but also the very idea of having to be tested twice a month. Apparently, the discomfort/irritation of being nasal swabbed is an issue as well.
But what is the alternative? There are workers across the public sector who have no desire to be vaccinated. But how do they plan to make sure they don't have Covid, if not by getting tested? The policy affects only some departments, reportedly those whose workers mingle with travelers. But if you're not vaccinated and unwilling to be regularly tested, should you be allowed to remain at work?
Still, many see the policy as unjust and punitive, and feel it is another way of mandating the vaccine through financial pressure, even though the government said it would not make vaccination mandatory. And let's be honest. It does increase the pressure to get jabbed, and that's exactly what the government says it wants to do. Is this the right approach? Has sensitization failed so utterly?
This segment also demonstrates how rife misinformation about vaccines has become, as our analyst incorrectly called the vaccines available to the population in Antigua and Barbuda "experimental" vaccines, which is false. It prompted a response from the medical doctor on the panel, who stated that the vaccines have been tested rigorously, had passed their tests, had met established standards for safety and effectiveness, and had been authorized by regulators for use.
This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on July 25th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.