The Superior Administrative Court (TSA) postponed for Friday, 22 October and Tuesday, 26 October 2021, the hearings on the legality of the requirement of showing a vaccination card to enter government offices, banks, stores and more. The Ministry of Public Health has mandated that people be fully vaccinated to enter these places, or at least proof that the first jab had been received in October 2021. The government argues the collective wellbeing is above individual rights.
The good news is that while the discussions are ongoing, the number of people getting vaccinated is up considerably after steadily declining for weeks. The daily number of vaccines administered has tripled from a low 20,797 on 30 September 2021 to 62,318 doses for the 18 October 2021 deadline.
Legal advisor to the President, Antoliano Peralta said that it will take some more time for the courts to decide on the legality. But he expressed his hopes that by then sufficient people would have gotten the shot to ensure herd immunity in the country. “Perhaps those who argue against the legality of the resolution requiring vaccination cards are right. The courts will decide on the matter. I hope that if they win, by then the vaccination level will have reached a level that will reduce the spread,” tweeted Peralta.
The new requirement has motivated many to bother to get the vaccine. This includes many who had already had Covid-19 and felt they didn’t need the vaccine, others who were just negligent, and others who had not done so for religious or cultural reasons.
Meanwhile, the fact that commercial banks and major shopping centers are requesting people present the vaccination card and an ID is definitely motivating people to get the card, moving the country towards the Ministry of Public Health goal of 70% fully vaccinated. At present, around 60% of the population has the two doses.
Critics say the Abinader administration should have approved the vaccine mandate during the National State of Emergency for it to be in compliance with the Constitution.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Diario Libre
El Dia
20 October 2021