Puerto Rico - A controversial discussion among public health and personal rights defenders took over Puerto Rico Thursday when two factions clashed openly. The talks intensified on the next day when medical officers clashed with lawmakers.
Mask Mandate Dispute
The discussion has been ongoing since an ad from the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico speaker was published about using face masks after new COVID-19 cases highlighted the absence of measures to secure the Capitol, which is on the seaside, as reported by the Associated Press.
Legislator’s Lawsuit
A conservative legislator, Lisie Burgos, objected to wearing a mask and was dismissed from a meeting last week, so she filed a suit on Monday. The status of the case is unclear yet. After this, on the same day, a judge ordered temporary protection for Burgos from the land’s House of Representatives not to “prohibit, prevent, or interfere” with Burgos’ right to attend meetings.
Public Outrage Amid Rising Cases
While the case was under consideration, many citizens were left outraged by the decision as there were reports of more than 1,100 new COVID-19 cases a day, with the island population being tested at a rate of 25% positive. Similarly, just about a year ago, the government of Puerto Rico issued a proclamation about the flu epidemic.
This Declaration came immediately after the judge’s ruling on Monday. He also expressed that since the parliament had so many fragile members, all the sessions were going to be held virtually until the 31st of February.
The Senate of Puerto Rico has said that it is not taking comparable action.
This week, lawmakers debated a plan that would do away with vaccination requirements for students under the age of five, a move that intensified the ongoing health debate while huddled over computer screens, as reported by the Associated Press.
On Wednesday, medical experts condemned the bill.
“This bill, in essence, inserts the state into an anti-science, ideological current that has been gaining followers in what has been described as a new age of obscurantism,” said Dr. Carlos Díaz Vélez, president of Puerto Rico’s Association of Surgeons.
Additional medical professionals provided testimony regarding the necessity and safety of vaccinations. Their worries were shared by Waleska Crespo, president of an association of private colleges and institutions.
“It’s the government that mainly has to protect the fundamental right to health,” she said.
With the bill’s submission being made by Burgos, a representative of a smaller conservative party, and four other legislators from the island’s two major political parties, one can understand the reach of the bill. They hold the position that parents or legal guardians who, for some reason, do not prefer vaccination for religious purposes, for example, should be able to be exempted and also accommodate other kinds of exceptions.
Part of the bill was endorsed by another Catholic priest named Carlos Pérez Toro, who appeared at the hearing on Wednesday.
Parental Choice Advocates
“The lack of informing parents, so they are the ones who ultimately decide what is best for the health of their children, led to government decisions on forced vaccination that were often not based on the need to protect the school community from contagious diseases,” he said, as reported by Associated Press.
The bill is currently being heard, and a number of lawmakers have declared they will oppose both its adoption and the upcoming lawsuit that Burgos filed to overturn the face mask requirement.