Antigua: All front-line government workers will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, or get tested for the virus every two weeks at their own expense.

Those who refuse to do either will have to remain off the job without pay.

The vaccination policy was communicated in a memorandum sent to government departments on Wednesday, on the heels of Prime Minister Gaston Browne saying his government was considering the measure.

According to one such memo to the Department of Immigration: “Effective immediately, all officers and auxiliary staff members are duly encouraged to become vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, or subject themselves to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests every 14 days, at personal cost.”