Chamber urges staff and employers to get vaccine
County Wexford Chamber is urging all employers and their employees to be vaccinated as soon as it’s their turn in order to defeat the Covid-19 virus.
County Wexford Chamber Operations Manager Emma Dunphy said: ‘Vaccination is one of the main ways to protect our communities and businesses to reduce the possibility of community spread once our economy is reopened.’
Following cabinet’s latest announcement on Level 5 restrictions, Ms Dunphy urged government to expand financial supports for impacted businesses. Ms Dunphy said: ‘The government’s announcement of tighter restrictions will not have been the start to the new year many businesses and local economies were hoping for. However, with infection rates and hospitalisations beyond anything we have seen throughout 2020, the additional restrictions announced are essential if we are to limit infection and loss of life.’
‘Our worst fears for the pandemic will likely come to pass in the next few weeks, so we all must work collectively to limit our movements so that we can keep each other safe and reduce the rate of infection.’ She said while everyone must do all that they can to support the collective effort to keep people safe, there is frustration throughout communities that the county finds itself in this position again.
‘Relying on “personal responsibility” to manage behavior during a pandemic must be abandoned. Our experience of re-opening the economy and existing alongside the virus has evidenced that this cannot work without systematic enforcement and approach. For the restrictions to be effective, and for there to be any hope of sustainably re-opening parts of the economy when it is safe to do so, government must ensure that appropriate checks and balances are in place.’
‘The coming weeks and months are likely to be the most difficult we have experienced, but the end is in sight. When Budget 2021 was published last October, there was an assumption that no vaccine would be available this year. Thankfully, roll-out has already begun and we can now envision normality sooner than might have been expected. Government finances should be well placed to support the economy in the intervening period.’
Bearing this in mind, she said it is imperative that government urgently expands and increases the supports available to impacted businesses. ‘We must also move to focus on the exit strategy for viable businesses, which have been surviving based on the government supports available but will need some breathing space to rebuild their businesses once the worst of the threat subsides.’
With Exchequer Returns in a better position than expected the availability of low-interest finance through the ECB, and Budget 2021 having been prepared on a very cautious basis, Ms Dunphy said we cannot afford to under-react to the challenge facing us.
‘Without these interventions, the growing debt burden experienced by businesses will likely trigger a wave of insolvencies and job losses that will do permanent damage to local economies throughout the country, potentially coinciding with when we are able to return to some form of normality. Having incurred a deficit of €19 billion to support the economy in 2020, government must continue to invest in the economy, so we ensure viable businesses do not fall at the final hurdle.’
‘We call on our members and the wider business community in County Wexford to do what they can to support their staff, ensuring they work from home if they can do so, work with government to ensure these new restrictions are impactful, and to make use of every financial support available. Finally, Government and the EU must do everything possible to accelerate the vaccination programme, providing a much needed boost in morale to the economy and society.’