Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Crisis delayed
Our Readers' Opinions
October 22, 2021

Crisis delayed

EDITED: Schools should have been opened this week for partial or full faace-to-face classes but the option of continued online classes was chosen instead. This may have averted a crisis because a number of workers in the schools have chosen not to be vaccinated despite them being designated FRONTLINE workers. The Government’s requirement that all frontline workers be vaccinated has met with some resistance among teachers, civil servants, nurses, and policemen.

Experience has taught us that the benefit of taking the vaccine for the coronavirus disease is to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death. The strengthening of the immune system gives the human body this advantage in fighting the COVID-19 disease.

Because the virus will be here with us for the long term, we need to adopt measures that will allow us to cope with it. Vaccination is the main weapon against this virus.

The emergence of more virulent and deadly strains has made our response more challenging.

It appears that the young are less susceptible to coming down with the disease.

Because of this, having the adults on any given school compound fully vaccinated will give them a certain level of protection. The vaccine is now available to secondary school students and by next term, it should be available to primary school students.

Some small schools can organize small classes to allow for face-to-face classes to begin while observing the maximum class size of 10 for adequate social distance in the average size classroom. This, together with wearing of masks, sanitization, and adequate ventilation can allow us to reopen these schools.

Laying off workers who are not vaccinated would create a crisis of loss of talents, expertise, and experience. Allowing these same workers to stay on the job will expose them to the Corona virus with the knowledge that some of them will become very ill, be hospitalized and die. Even though this may be 5 or 10 %, this avoidable loss will be regrettable and cause much grief among those who will mourn.

The benefit of the vaccine far outweighs the few who may have adverse reactions. In any case, we should follow the best available advice from the medical authorities especially our family physicians. It should not be necessary for us to experience the crisis of death in the family for us to make the right decision.

Anthony Stewart

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Finance Minister lays EC$1.9 b. Estimates in Parliament
    Front Page
    Finance Minister lays EC$1.9 b. Estimates in Parliament
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    THE 2026 ESTIMATES of revenue and expenditure for St Vincent and the Grenadines was laid in the House of Assembly on Thursday, January 29,2026 by Prim...
    Dr Gonsalves dissects $1.9 billion Budget Estimates of the NDP administration
    Front Page
    Dr Gonsalves dissects $1.9 billion Budget Estimates of the NDP administration
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    OPPOSITION LEADER Dr Ralph Gonsalves has concluded that the EC$1.9 billion Estimates presented in Parliament by Minister of Finance Dr. Godwin Friday,...
    Opposition rejects Speaker’s claims they deliberately flouted the Laws of Parliament
    Front Page
    Opposition rejects Speaker’s claims they deliberately flouted the Laws of Parliament
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    HE SPEAKER of the House of Assembly in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Ronnia Durham-Balcombe, by way of letter dated January 13, 2026, has accus...
    Attack on Referee costs football coach his double salary
    Front Page
    Attack on Referee costs football coach his double salary
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    A FOOTBALL COACH, who “humiliated” a referee by striking him on his face with a weapon after being given a straight red card for using abusive languag...
    Grammar School student boost skills in his role as ‘Junior Minister of Tourism’
    Front Page
    Grammar School student boost skills in his role as ‘Junior Minister of Tourism’
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    FIFTH FORM student, Isaiah Toney who attends the St Vincent Grammar School (SVGS), is boosted his knowledge and skills as he winds down his time servi...
    Georgetown School for children with special needs marks 40 years
    Front Page
    Georgetown School for children with special needs marks 40 years
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION has extended hearty congratulations to the School for Children with Special Needs in Georgetown on the attainment of its 40t...
    News
    Community College launches its 2026 “World of Work” Programme
    News
    Community College launches its 2026 “World of Work” Programme
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    The St.Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC), said it officially launched its 2026 World of Work (WOW) Programme on January 23, 2026. N...
    Two members welcomed to The Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas
    News
    Two members welcomed to The Alliance for Primary Health Care in the Americas
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    THE ALLIANCE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE (PHC), in the Americas, a joint initiative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Bank (WB), a...
    Minister says more people are applying for firearm licenses
    News
    Minister says more people are applying for firearm licenses
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    MORE VINCENTIANS are applying for firearm licenses, even as the Minister of National Security St. Clair Leacock says there are certain weapons he thin...
    Improved hygiene standards coming for Barrouallie Black Fish Processors
    News
    Improved hygiene standards coming for Barrouallie Black Fish Processors
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    BARROUALLIE BLACK FISH processors will soon operate under improved hygienic conditions when the Bottle and Glass Black Fish Enhancement Project is com...
    Ginger thief receives three-part sentence
    From the Courts, News
    Ginger thief receives three-part sentence
    Webmaster 
    January 30, 2026
    A REDEMPTION SHARPES MAN was jailed, given a suspended sentence and was ordered to pay compensation for stealing $800 worth of ginger. Glenroy Holder ...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok