Vaccination is the only for us to go back to a normal life. The message is clear: a large number of the population must be vaccinated without delay, to protect the entire population before covid or its more aggressive variants spread.
The government is stepping up efforts in this direction. Within a few weeks, 40% of the population should be vaccinated. This is what the Prime Minister underlined in his speech to the Parliament. Moreover, since June 21, access to hospitals or schools is barred to non-vaccinated people. Those not respecting this regulation risk a fine of Rs 500,000 and a prison sentence not exceeding five years.
With the turn of events and the all-round campaign by the authorities, Mauritius is targeting the vaccination of a major part of its population to avoid the spread of the virus, or at least, to slow it down.
Authorities rely on the vaccination of 60% of the population to achieve collective immunity; but with the variants of Covid-19, some specialists such as Dr Vasantrao Gujadhur, former director of public health services, think that the government should instead bet on a vaccination of 80% of the people while shortening the time between the two doses.
There is an emergency for some with the opening of the borders on July 15. Vaccinated tourists will be able to access Mauritian soil, while the unconstrained opening for any vaccinated person is scheduled for October 01.
Certainly, there are voices which are raised against a vaccination qualified as forced. An injunction has even been filed in the Supreme Court against the so-called forced vaccination. It will be taken in court on June 28th.
In the meantime, political parties like Lalit are clearly opposed to any anti-vaccination campaign that would endanger the lives of citizens.
Still, the vaccination centers are always full. However, some people with allergies cannot get the vaccine. A source close to the ministry specifies that these people will have to carry a card stipulating their allergy to be able to have access to places prohibited to the non-vaccinated individuals. In specific cases such as those working in education or health, they will have to perform a weekly PCR test.
Vaccination has therefore become inevitable in Mauritius.
