Activists claim students being pressured to vaccinate

ACTIVISTS Edward Moodie and Umar Abdullah are claiming that students of the Palo Seco Secondary School were being pressured to get vaccinated against covid19, if they wanted to return to in-person classes. They made their claims to reporters after delivering a letter to the school's principal asking for this pressure to be stopped.

Moodie insisted that neither he, Abdullah nor anyone associated with them are opposed to covid19 vaccination or people who choose to get vaccinated.

"We are fed up with that story coming out. We are pro-choice people but we are not going to accept anybody coercing, forcing or bullying our children to take the vaccine."

He called for the end to pressure being placed on parents and students after referring to a letter which Moodie said was issued on January 5, by the school's principal Davanand Sinanan.

In the letter, Sinanan advised parents and guardians about the resumption of physical classes at the school on a rotational basis since February. He said the resumption of physical classes will place major emphasis on the safety of students and staff.

"As such the school has been enforcing all relevant health and safety protocols as defined by Ministry of Health regarding the covid19 pandemic," the letter stated.

The letter "strongly urged" parents/guardians to ensure their child/ward is fully vaccinated to minimise their risk of contracting or transmitting the virus."

The letter also asked that returning students are adequately prepared with uniforms, tex books and related equipment. Parents and guardians were asked to e-mail or physically visit the school if they had any questions about their children returning for physical classes.

Moodie said, "There is no vaccine that is miminising the risk to contract or transmit the covid19."

"The Ministry of Education never told prinicipals to send a letter to their students, asking that they ensure they are vaccinated."

He warned that if this letter is not retracted, legal action would be taken.

Abdullah hand delivered a letter of complaint to school officials on Wednesday.

Speaking later with reporters, Abdullah said he supported Moodie's assertions. He said the letter delivered to Sinanan, raised certain questions and issues about children being allowed to resume classes at the school.

These questions included whether regular sanitising was taking place at the school, if remote learning was being facilitated to children who were asked to stay home after they were identified through contact tracing and if there was proper ventilation in different parts of the school.