Parliament will convene at 9.30am today to extend the State of Emergency and to adopt new regulations under the Public Health Act which will continue to guide the government’s Covid-19 policy.
Two other bills are likely to be adopted including an amendment which would make a person liable for a fine (possibly of $5,000) and/or confinement of possibly six months, should that person, having been informed that she/he is covid infected, discharges him/herself without the permission of the medical personnel, rather than await instructions to further their treatment.
On the other hand, doctors who administer false sick leave and who have a proven record of “abusing the sick-leave provision”of their employment are likely to face severe penalties including the loss of licence to practice.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet says an attorney has filed a writ on behalf of the Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association (ABPSA) challenging the constitutionality of the law mandating all government workers to be vaccinated. No date has yet been set for the hearing.