As 21 June approaches, the queues at the vaccination centres are getting longer and longer. From that date onwards, anyone in specific locations, such as schools, health centres and training centres, must provide a vaccination card or proof of a negative PCR test. If they do not, they will be heavily fined. This new regulation under the Quarantine Act was published in the Government Gazette on June 2, 2021 and come into effect from June 21.
To avoid a rush to the centres, the respective authorities have set up an appointment system. The public can register either online on the EDB website or by phone.
However, many people complain that they have not yet received an answer or that the phone lines are constantly busy.
At the vaccination centres, such as the Anjalay Stadium in Belle-Vue, the police officers present, last Wednesday, had to constantly explain to members of the public that they could not give them access.
Some people were not shy about expressing their displeasure, such as Indira and Ravi who have to accompany their son for admission to a secondary school in the North. “We have been registered online 10 days ago but still no response; moreover, the telephone number set up for this purpose is constantly busy. This is becoming worrying,” says Indira.
A young teacher from a secondary school in the North is equally upset: “At first, the vaccine was not compulsory. But now that it is and with the start of the academic year approaching, I absolutely have to get vaccinated or I won’t be able to go to work. ”
This cacophony also reigns in hospitals, according to a young mother. She suffers from an allergy and has to breastfeed her baby. She went to this health facility to get advice on the vaccine. However, she says that after a long wait, the hospital staff are confused. “They don’t do an allergy test, the doctors told us that the Sinopharm vaccine is no longer available. They told me I don’t have be vaccinated even though the government recommends it. I am no better off than before I came to the hospital,” she laments.
We tried to get more information from the authorities concerned. But to no avail.
