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Government Accuses Opposition Of Being “Two-Faced” On Vaccination Issue

The Government says the GSD should “urge” people to get vaccinated in order to “protect their elderly and sick relatives, who happen to be most at risk, when they visit them”. 

A statement form the Government follows below:

The Opposition, in their newly found drive to become all things to all men, continue to distort and exaggerate the question of unvaccinated visitors at hospital or in elderly residential homes. 

This is a highly irresponsible and cavalier approach to a very sensitive matter when they know full well that this policy is driven by clinical and public health considerations. 

The vast majority of the people of Gibraltar have been vaccinated with over 35,000 first vaccinations administered and over 30,000 second doses. This means that this issue affects only a small part of the population who firstly have chosen not to be vaccinated, second who also happen to have relatives in elderly or medical facilities and third who want to visit them. Given these facts, is obvious that the Opposition have exaggerated this issue and blown it up out of all proportion for their own political ends. 

That said, the Government fully sympathises with the predicament that this narrow category of persons may find themselves in. However, everyone must understand that the primary concern of our health and elderly care services are the welfare of their patients and their residents. 

The Opposition have forgotten to mention that in December they met the Government in order to lobby for the admission of relatives into ERS. This was subsequently agreed after protocols were established by the GHA and Public Health Gibraltar. 

Moreover, the feedback that the Government has received from almost all the families of ERS residents, is that they want their elderly to be safe and protected first and foremost. 

The two-faced attitude that the Opposition have adopted on this issue is therefore deeply regrettable. If they truly support the vaccination programme, then they should urge people to get vaccinated in order to protect their elderly and sick relatives, who happen to be most at risk, when they visit them.