COLVA: Vaccine hesitancy among employees has been a cause for concern among several small businessmen in Salcete’s coastal belt.
They say that despite coaxing staff to get inoculated against Covid-19 — especially during the government’s free statewide vaccination drives — many have refused to comply.
As a result, a number of entrepreneurs have now begun informing their workers that their services may be terminated if they do not get the jab.
Some local authorities too have been issuing notices to businessmen, hawkers and vendors instructing them to get themselves and their staff vaccinated in order to stem the spread of the pandemic.
“Of the 10-12 personnel in my store, some have not even taken the first dose of the vaccine despite me trying to convince them.
I have informed them that they might lose their jobs,” a businessman from the area said.
Despite the deadly second wave of Covid-19 crippling the state’s healthcare infrastructure and claiming several lives, apprehensions about vaccination against the virus continue to be widespread.
Some youths who run a vegetable kiosk at Varca told TOI that they hadn’t participated in Tika Utsav 3 — which began on June 13 — despite the vaccine being offered in their very village.
In another instance, five members of a family who operate a general store disclosed that none of them had taken the first dose of the vaccine.
They attributed this to a clash in timings.
“Our business hours are from 7am to 3pm.
By the time we close and have lunch, it is past 4pm, by which time the vaccination drive ends,” they said.
Some others running small businesses have a different take.
“Vaccination goes both ways.
Besides staff having vaccine hesitancy, some customers visiting my store can have the same fears,” a store owner said.
“But while I can urge my personnel to get the jab, I cannot keep asking customers if they have taken the vaccine.
If I do this, I might lose my customer base.” Differences in opinion also prevail among the local authorities.
While Varca sarpanch Charlton Lourenco said he has issued notices to all entrepreneurs within the panchayat’s jurisdiction to get themselves and their staff vaccinated, Carmona sarpanch Allwyn Jorge maintained that such directions must come from higher authorities.