That return to normalcy while a great desire for many might not be so cut and dry for all members of the population.
We heard it last week when I took to the streets, a rampant distrust for the unknown entity that is the vaccine.
We wanted to get a perspective on these fears, legitimate or not, and the effects that they could have on national vaccination efforts. And on Monday right after the first three jabs I got a chance to speak with Anglican Bishop Phillip Wright about the vaccine, the intersection of faith and medicine, and moving toward the future.
Rt. Rev'd Phillip Wright, Anglican Bishop of Belize
"First off I would say take the vaccine when you get the opportunity and I wouldn't even put a but on that, but at the same time I think people can have legitimate concerns I have listened to some of the comments and people say they want to know what's in it, they want to know what is the long term effect or at least the near term effect on those of those are legitimate questions."
"When people have concerns about whether this thing is against blacks there may be legitimate reasons for having such concerns and fears. What I want to emphasize though is that if you have such avail yourself of the information, learn as much as you need about the vaccine and about the process and hopefully that will bring you to a place where you would let go some of those fears and not necessarily live in that past, but embrace and hopefully a better future. I am a black man and I will take the vaccine."
"The vaccine does represent perhaps the best way forward for us as a nation, for us as a people, for us as an economy and therefore I think it's worth taking the vaccine when you get the opportunity."
Cherisse Halsall:
"There are some that say I don't need a vaccine, God is my vaccine but doesn't God use doctors?"
Rt. Rev'd Phillip Wright, Anglican Bishop of Belize
"Of course, at least my understanding of the faith is I believe in a Gad who heals, I believe in a God who can work miracles, but I also believe in a God who performs so much of his miracles through science through doctors, through nurses, though so many of us and this is another example in my opinion of God inspiring us and giving us enough knowledge for us to do the research and other things necessary to come up with a vaccine that can help get us out of this pandemic."
"Many are struggling under these current circumstances and are longing for a day when we will obviously be out of it. Another thing even here at the cathedral many of our folks would say they just miss coming together. For many that was their social event - coming out to church, talking, catching up and they missed that. They've appreciated what we've done in trying to do virtual services and all of that, but they would be the first to admit I just miss going to church. I just miss sitting in the pew."
