At a meeting held today June 9th, 2021 education stakeholders including school Principals were informed through the Chief Education Officer Mrs. Connie George, that the Government of the Virgin Islands is moving to make the Covid-19 vaccine mandatory for all frontline workers including all teacher’s territory wide.
Those that choose not to be vaccinated will be subject to a bi monthly COVID-19 test. It is unclear whether exemptions are in place to facilitate persons with underlying medical conditions or those pregnant or nursing.
Additionally, questions have been raised as to whether the already existing healthcare system can accommodate a bi monthly COVID-19 test of frontline workers. Teachers across the territory of the Virgin Islands alone, both in Primary and Secondary schools make up some 500 teachers employed by the Government of the Virgin Islands.
The Ministry of Education is said to be actively engaging in data collection to ascertain which teachers of the 500 teachers across the Virgin Islands have been vaccinated or not.
Residents have been concerned that a move to make vaccines mandatory is a direct infringement on the civil, human and religious rights of residents.
More to come as the story develops.