And one of the largest groups of persons working in private enterprise who will be affected by the new SI is the public transport operators. This includes all taxi cooperatives, bus lines, and water taxis - hundreds of employees that will need to be vaccinated if they haven't already. And if they don't, they'll need to take that cotton swab up the nose and in the throat every two weeks - and most likely pay for it.
But are they willing to get the jab, or do they feel like it's being forced on them? Courtney Menzies spoke to transport operators and has this story.
In the new SI, public transport operators are now being referred to as frontline workers, and therefore are among those who need to either get vaxxed or get tested every two weeks starting August first.
The government put them on the list because they come in contact with hundreds of people every day.
But how do those operators feel about it? The president of one taxi cooperative says his members have been getting their vaccine long before the SI.
Roger Dougal, President, First Stop Taxi Cooperative
"I think it's a wonderful idea, it's one of the way we will get control of the situation so by people getting the vaccine, I believe it will bring the situation under control."
"I encourage each and every one of my members and at times I personally take my members to go do their vaccines so again I support the idea of people getting their vaccine to the fullest."
Courtney Menzies:
"And have they been willing?"
Roger Dougal, President, First Stop Taxi Cooperative
"Very willing, so again, I'm not an anti-vaxxer so I do want to support and I want to encourage every single person to go and get their vaccine."
And the president of the Belize Bus Association has already informed his members that the best thing to do is to just get that jab.
Voice of: Thomas Andy Shaw, President, BBA
"They posted it up so just before you called me I was on a chat group with our members and I explained to them, what we're looking at, most of the operators are not in the position to really take that test because as it is right now, they're still not getting their full pay, they're on half scale, so it's best that everybody would just go ahead and take the vaccine which is free than to go ahead and pay for that test every two weeks, and the quicker my operators get it, or everybody gets it, because we need to get our country up and rolling. But personally it's something, I took both of mines already, you lead by example, and I think it's something we all got to go through."
"Most of the operators, because this was an ongoing thing, most of the operators have already went through and took their shots already but some of them are a bit reluctant, as the health minister said, you're not being forced to take it but if you don't take it you might end up without a job because if you don't have it come first of august and you report to work they're telling it plain that you can be denied so the best thing to do is go ahead and take it while it's there and it's free."
But how will they enforce this rule - ensuring that employers are requesting to see the tests of those who are not vaccinated? We posed this question to both men.
Voice of: Thomas Andy Shaw, President, BBA
"This is something that after I get off the phone with you, it's something that I need to go back to my members and see how it's gonna work out and ensure that the conductors and drivers because I have already post it up on our chat group, the regulations, and what to look out for come first of August so as bus operators, owners, we need to ensure that our conductors and our drivers take it."
Roger Dougal, President, First Stop Taxi Cooperative
"That will be on their shoulder because again if they choose not to then they need to stand the expense as they said every two weeks. But again it boils down and as I've said before, the only way we will get this pandemic under control is for everyone as much as possible to get the vaccine."
Courtney Menzies:
"But will you as the president require to see that text results every two weeks?"
Roger Dougal, President, First Stop Taxi Cooperative
"Well I'm not sure if I'll be able to force my membership to do that more or less the authority will need to so such thing."
Courtney Menzies:
"Even though it's written in law now?"
Roger Dougal, President, First Stop Taxi Cooperative
"Well if it's written in law then the authority will need to do their part in relation to come and ensure that members and whoever is in the public service need to get their so if they don't then it will be on their shoulder."
We also spoke off camera to the management of the San Pedro Express Water Taxi, and learnt that 90% of their employees have already been vaccinated, with only 15-20 people left to take it.
Most other taxi men who declined appearing on camera indicated that they had already gotten their shots, or that they would do so soon. A few others told us that they were reluctant to take it.
We note that the law is silent on who would have the virtually impossible job of policing who has gotten tested, and who has not.
