EDITOR, The Tribune.

I write this letter to the Prime Minister as a rebuttal to the announcement of the newly identified “special privileges” being afforded to “fully vaccinated persons” in this country, released in the government’s most recent Emergency Orders issued May 14, 2021.

As a person who has successfully recovered from COVID, along with 99 percent of other recovered patients who have resumed life normally following this virus, we are being discriminated against in the most horrific way possible.

Shame on this government for segregating its people in this manner.

Everyone preaches equality and the right to choose for all – but where is the equality and personal choice in this? This is downright discrimination.

How can the Prime Minister sit here and implement a discriminatory action against law-abiding citizens of this country because we choose not to take an unapproved, untested, exploratory vaccine that is still in its infancy?

It is my choice whether I wish to take this vaccine, and not for anyone to tell me that I have to, nor anyone’s right to take away my rights because I choose not to.

Furthermore, many doctors (both domestic and international) have stated that those who have recovered from COVID have the antibodies needed to protect themselves from the virus.

That’s more than I can say for the privileged “fully vaccinated persons” who can continue to contract and spread the virus, giving themselves and others around them a false sense of security.

Who knows, maybe they’ll even be the next subset of Super-Spreaders, but I’m sure the press release has already been drafted to combat that thought, likely blaming the unvaccinated and using it as propaganda to further pressure individuals into taking the vaccine.

Furthermore, the side effects are unknown and potentially unsafe for those who have had COVID to take the vaccine within at least several months (if not longer) of having had the virus.

Again, this has been suggested by many doctors, both local and foreign. In fact, so much about this vaccine and its long-term implications are unknown, so how can you, the Prime Minister of our nation, make such a divisive and discriminatory statement?

Because I have had COVID, and therefore not suited to take the vaccine (not that I plan to anyway, but let’s pretend for a few minutes that I would) I am now resorted to sitting outside, with the “less privileged”, to paying more for my travel visas, to standing in lines to get COVID tests, when in reality I am more protected, and LESS of a risk, than your vaccinated populous?

My suggestion is that those who have recovered from COVID and can produce their release letters from the Ministry of Health or produce their antibody test results showing they have the actual antibodies for the virus should be afforded the same privileges that you are issuing to “fully vaccinated persons”.

Just like they can produce their yellow vaccination cards, we can produce our confirmation letters.

The EU has implemented this and even entry into the United States is permitted by showing you have recovered from the virus without needing a COVID test. Why can’t The Bahamas get with the programme?

Please, don’t make this a civil rights violation. It is my basic human right to choose.

You do not have the right to take away my rights and single-handedly place certain folks in a more privileged category, “better” than the rest of us. We are not second-class citizens.

Sincerely, Healthy, Recovered, COVID Survivor with Antibodies.

COVID SURVIVOR

Nassau,

May 18, 2021.