Less than a week after the government issued mostly unchanged COVID-19 guidelines, it has amended Section 17 of the guidelines which dealt with vaccination requirements for government buildings to now include all public buildings including privately owned ones and institutions of learning.

Based on the regulations covering both public and private buildings, it now means that persons who want to visit the markets and supermarkets, stores, private hospitals, banks, utility companies, and all other private businesses and institutions including places of worship would now have to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result.

And with the updated regulations covering institutions of learning, it would mean that unvaccinated teachers and staff of both public and private schools will now have to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test to attend classes in the school.

According to the amendment to the National Covid-19 Health regulations issued on Saturday 4th September, “any person who wishes to enter a public building shall be vaccinated”.

It further explains that in the absence of being vaccinated against COVID-19, a person would have to make an appointment to visit that public building and present a negative PCR COVID-19 test result to gain access.

The regulation defines a public building as “any building to which the public has lawful access and shall include both publicly and privately owned buildings including all institutions of learning”.

It also states that any employee who wishes to enter a public building which would include their place of work must also be vaccinated or provide a negative PCR test result for entry.

The previous regulations only covered government ministries and departments and agencies.

The updated guidelines are much broader and cover almost all sectors in Guyana, both public and privately owned.

Already, the government has received lots of pushback for its policy which covered only the government buildings. Several protests have been held across the country and others are being planned against the government’s vaccination policy.

BELOW: Regulations on vaccination issued on August 30, 2021

BELOW: Updated Regulations issued on September 4, 2021

Related posts:

Mandatory mask-wearing and proof of vaccination to enter public buildings dumped as most COVID restrictions lifted Commercial banks to enforce new vaccine requirement Health Minister defends updated vaccination requirement as necessary to ensure public safety Health Ministry staffers and contractors to prove vaccination or provide negative COVID tests; Regulation also covers visitors and non-emergency patients at public hospitals