Anglican Archbishop of the West Indies, Reverend Howard Gregory, is urging the government to embrace mandatory vaccination against the coronavirus, in the national interest, as has been done in other jurisdictions.

Archbishop Gregory made the call in an article entitled “Leadership and the pursuit of the common good”.

It comes against the background of continued vaccine hesitancy, the high covid-19 infection and death rates in the country, and reports of pending dumping of vaccines due to expire.

Reverend Gregory pointed out that, the mandatory vaccination does not involve physically restraining persons, rather it’s for persons to provide proof of vaccination.

The archbishop said the government, through leadership, must do what leaders do in times of crisis, and take decisive action.

He criticized Jamaicans who indicated they would take the vaccine if and when this was required for them to travel to the United States of America.

In response to comments that some people use religion, as the reason for not taking the vaccine, Reverend Gregory stressed that it’s his Christian duty to help stop the pandemic.