The COVID-19 vaccine mandate which was supposed to come into effect on December 15 for all public officers in Belize has been postponed until such time it is deemed fit and unavoidable.
This is according to a joint statement from the government and Public Service Union.
It states the Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Health Michel Chebat and President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, met on December 8 to discuss the vaccine mandate issued last month by the government.
At the meeting it was agreed that based on science, vaccination does provide protection against COVID-19 and that a growing body of evidence has shown that vaccines are safe and effective against disease.
This was also when it was further agreed that the December 15 vaccine mandate would be postponed.
The Union and the government will work together to compile statistics, such as the percentage of vaccinated public officers, COVID-19 infection rate within the Public Service, mortality rate among public officers and the sickness and benefit costs associated with the disease thus far.
The statement says guided by the outcome of the research and based on the data collected, the parties have agreed to work together to promote and encourage the effective enforcement of the safety protocols and whenever deemed unavoidable and in the best interest and safety of public officers and the public it serves, to effect the gradual introduction of a vaccine mandate.