The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian retailers yesterday said they will not make it mandatory for employees to become vaccinated against COVID-19 as some voiced scepticism over the merits of becoming inoculated.

Brent Burrows, general manager of CBS (Commonwealth Building Supplies), told Tribune Business he is “excited” after COVID-19 vaccinations were opened up to retail and restaurant employees over the weekend.

He added: “We were excited about that. We are not making it mandatory, but we’re asking our employees to educate themselves for free. Don’t listen to the rumours but make an informed decision. Hopefully a lot of them will be taking it up. All of the ones in the previous categories have already gotten the vaccination, but the majority of our employees will be the new set.”

Mr Burrows and his business partner received their COVID-19 vaccinations several weeks ago, and it has now been opened up to the retailer’s 80-plus staff. “I think that’s the only way forward,” he added of vaccinations.

“I wouldn’t say there has been any large rumblings against taking the vaccine, but you do hear the chatter in the lunch room of people against it. Then you hear someone else trying to convince them why they should do it. So I don’t think there’s a huge majority that are saying they’re not going take it, but we’ll see. It has to be a personal decision.”

Lavante Rahming, owner/operator of Bahamas Flea Market, said: “I was reading up on the vaccines, but knowing the fact that it’s still being tested around the world I feel as though they are trying to use small countries as test dummies.

“I only observed people taking the [COVID-19] test, and then after the vaccine came I was still sceptical because I heard a rumour about a lady that took the vaccine dying and the authorities was trying to cover it up, but later on I found out she didn’t die from the vaccine; she actually died from a heart attack. But I’m still a little sceptical.

“So I’m not going to take it. They had Ebola going around, swine flu has been around and all of these different types of diseases that they said were going to conquer the whole earth and kill everybody, but the world is still standing,” Mr Rahming added.

“Even tuberculosis was out for years, and every day people are spitting all over the place but they wouldn’t take those types of stuff as serious as they are taking this common flu. Why do you have to take a vaccine for something that is common, but you have actual diseases that are killing people every day? So I’m thinking twice about taking any COVID-19 vaccine.”

Audrey Flowers, general manger of Master Technicians, said she will advocate that her staff become vaccinated but will not make it mandatory. She said: “It is a personal choice. There are some of my staff who I spoke to who said they are willing to take the vaccine, but I haven’t done a general consensus among all of the staff.”