Random operations will be carried out in establishments.
As a way to contain the spread of infections and the presence of the omicron variant, the Government of Ecuador declared on Thursday the mandatory nature of vaccination against COVID-19.
The measure appears at a time when about 23% have yet to be vaccinated, despite the Government’s attempts to speed up the process and try to ensure that the population is inoculated. Until December 21, 12.4 million people had full doses, which represents 77.2% of the slightly more than 16 million inhabitants.
A few hours after this decision, the government authorities have been clearing up doubts about this obligation and the way in which they will try to enforce this provision.
Although citizens will not be detained or taken by force to a vaccination center, there will be limitations so that those not involved can access certain spaces. And this because establishments that decide to let in people who do not have the doses will be penalized.
The Ministry of Health notified that it will not apply direct sanctions, but that these citizens will only be limited in access to all kinds of events because they do not have the full dose certificate, as is the case in other countries.
“We hope that people comply. The portfolio does not apply sanctions to those not immunized ”, he assured.
The Ministry of Health clarifies nine doubts about the mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 and the presentation of the card or certificate
The sense of “obligation”, considers the Government, emanates directly from the recent decision of the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) to not allow entry to “certain non-essential activities” if the participant does not present the vaccination card with complete guideline, effective from this Friday.
Which will be required in “events, cinemas, museums and others” and will be managed by “municipalities and decentralized autonomous governments (GAD)”. That is to say, “they will monitor their compliance.”
Juan Zapata, president of the national COE, in a television interview, explained, for example, that if he carries out a random operation in a restaurant and unvaccinated people are detected inside, the establishment will be sanctioned.
Ecuador is the first in the region to make vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory; Germany, Austria and Greece plan to do so in 2022
“Do not think that we are going to force you to have the vaccine, but public awareness. We must carry that document (vaccination card) ”, indicated Zapata, who confirmed that there is no sanction for citizens.
The official said that incentives could even be established for establishments that comply with the provisions.
Zapata indicated that the objective of these measures is to motivate vaccination, since it is the best strategy to face the pandemic.
The Ministry of Health indicated that the measure has a legal basis. He cited paragraph 4 of article 6 of the Organic Health Law, which refers to “declaring the mandatory nature of immunizations against certain diseases, under the terms and conditions that the national and local epidemiological reality requires; define the standards and the basic national immunization scheme; and provide the population with the necessary elements to fulfill it at no cost ”.
Likewise, in the Constitution of the Republic, in its article 32, it is detailed that it is a right that the State guarantees through public policies, programs, actions and timely services for the promotion and comprehensive health care. (I)
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