U.D.P. Supports Government’s Vaccination Effort

Patrick Faber

COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across Belize’s healthcare system with the number of active cases increasing daily as we continue to experience a third wave of infections.  When the pandemic began in 2020, the United Democratic Party government, led by former Prime Minister Dean Barrow, was at the helm.  Since taking over, the Briceño administration has implemented its own measures to combat the spread of the virulent disease.  While the opposition supports the vaccination effort, Party Leader Patrick Faber says that government needs to make tests available for teachers and public officers.

Patrick Faber, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“We have great reasons to be concerned about this COVID situation and I signal again that it is not only the government’s responsibility, it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that we fight this deadly COVID disease. We, for the avoidance of doubt, support the vaccination effort and we urge all to get vaccinated.  But if, for some reason, and individual or a group of individuals, a group of people says we don’t want to be vaccinated then it is an obligation for government to ensure that there are options for these people.  That is the position of the United Democratic Party.  In the public service and teaching, you know what the SI says right now, you either get vaccinated or you have to get tested every two weeks, is it?  And if the test isn’t available free of cost, you will have to pay a private provider to take that test.  Well, we make the call today on the government to make those tests available to the teachers and to any other category of workers that work under the government and that are being told that they need to get these tests taken if they are not vaccinated.  We call on the government to make sure that these tests are available for those people who choose that route.”