Compulsory vaccination does not only concern the staff of leisure and fitness facilities, but also the users. Anyone wishing to indulge in a good time in the most popular venues such as discos, cinemas and pubs will have to be duly vaccinated and checked by the unique QR code of their vaccination certificate on their phone at the entrance, and fortunately, not the easily falsifiable cardboard Vaccination Card.
Restrictions on crowded places
Will September be a month of change? Or a month of total preparation for the total reopening of the country? Or a month of compulsory vaccination using various blackmail means to the remaining 150,000, or 16% of the population eligible for the free vaccine to finally get inoculated? There is every indication that the government is pushing for 100% herd immunity among eligible adults. The High-Level Committee is working towards banning unvaccinated people from crowded places, a measure that will be put into effect even before the grand reopening.
QR Code finalising
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Steven Obeegadoo announced at the NCC conference last Monday a new regulation in the Quarantine Act, stipulating those five new sectors fall under the compulsory vaccination and will have until mid-September to be vaccinated. These include all activities related to the tourism industry and registered with the Tourism Authority, including restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, pleasure craft… And with this, frequenters will have to be vaccinated and registered, a version of the digital vaccination pass or a unique QR code will be given to them on their smartphones, holding their personal data, to present to those places that will require them. The unvaccinated will simply be denied access and a violator could be forced to pay a fine or worse! The QR code verification system is currently being finalised and will be available before the grand reopening.
Satisfied operators
If the aim is to force the hand of those opposed or simply closed to vaccines, the new way is welcomed in the sectors concerned. Popo Hazareesingh, the President of the Nightclub Owners Association, says “we are happy with this measure which will allow us to operate in a controlled, healthy and safe manner. The Ministry of Health has been able to achieve the necessary level of herd immunity to make the tourist and nightlife business operational. On our side, we are getting the staff ready and updating our operating system to be in line with the Quarantine Act protocols. The government has helped us a lot in these bad times due to Covid. Business will pick up but we have to wait until 1st October for full and sustainable satisfaction.” On the other hand, Popo Hazareesingh warns the authorities to be doubly vigilant as “there have been and there will be illegal and unlicensed operators who organise private parties, flouting the Quarantine Act regulations, who have taken advantage of this and will continue to do so despite the fines. The association’s fight is to bring justice to those who are eligible, and who pay a considerable amount of money to be allowed,” he concluded.
