Haitians are not vaccinated due to religious beliefs

Thousands of Haitian immigrants resist receiving the covid-19 vaccine due to religious beliefs, alleging that tea and concoctions prevent the disease, informed William Charpantier, coordinator of the National Roundtable for Migration and Refugees in the Dominican Republic (Menamird).

He said another argument for not receiving the immunization is that covid-19 represents “The Beast,” a religious figure associated with the devil.

He maintains that to counteract these beliefs, they have developed activities and presentations of documentaries in Creole, in places where they are concentrated to raise awareness about the urgency of getting inoculated.

He said that the apathy towards the vaccine on the part of the Haitians is observed in the almost null presence of these in the vaccination centers.

Likewise, he urged the authorities to vaccinate all immigrants who present any document, not only their passport, as is currently the case.

He recalled that 288,000 Haitians had joined the National Regularization Plan, carrying their ID cards, even if expired, and should be entitled to the vaccination.

During yesterday’s tour of Greater Santo Domingo, no Haitian immigrants were observed in the vaccination centers, even though there is a Government disposition to inoculate foreigners who present documents such as passports.