THE EDITOR: I call on the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader to please join hands and make the covid19 vaccination mandatory - now. We cannot afford to let the delta variant permeate our country.

TT is clearly divided almost equally between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated and this could lead to serious issues/divisions between both parties. That's one of the reasons we have laws - to protect citizens. With the advent of the delta variant the difference of opinion between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated will definitely grow since this more contagious variant even affects those who are vaccinated.

Soon we would have to follow the rest of the world and only allow the vaccinated into restaurants, cinemas and other public places. This may even spread to local and international travel.

Public health officials say a covid19 outbreak at an Oregon assisted living facility in the US that has infected 64 people and killed five began with an unvaccinated worker. Meanwhile the state of Alabama claims that since April there were 1,230 virus deaths, with 91 per cent among the unvaccinated. Of the nine per cent who were fully vaccinated and died, nearly all were elderly or had serious chronic health problems.

I laud Archbishop Jason Gordon's passionate plea, practically begging citizens to take the vaccine to save our nation. He said the country is at a crossroads and warned about people giving advice based on unscientific means. He said 'a lot of people are getting their doctorate from Facebook and spreading misinformation.'

Nearly all covid19 deaths in the US are among the unvaccinated (Carla K Johnson), a staggering demonstration of how effective shots have been. The North Carolina Department of Health released new data showing that unvaccinated people were 15.4 times or 1,540 per cent more likely to die from covid19 during the four-week period ending August 2021. Unvaccinated people were also 4.4 times or 440 per cent more likely to catch the virus than vaccinated people.

'Health workers deployed to covid19 hot zones are overwhelmed by deaths among the unvaccinated,' says Lev Facher Washington correspondent. The state of Louisiana has 38 per cent of its population fully vaccinated. Approximately 300 people got the virus in June, but the number has since risen to 5,000 cases. The population of Louisiana is approximately 4.7 million.

We have less than 40 per cent of our population fully vaccinated and we had 201 deaths in August - up to the 29th. Jamaica, which is in a strict lockdown, reported a new record high for covid19 cases for a 24-hour period - 929 cases and 21 deaths. The new cases comprise 540 females and 329 males ranging in ages from one day to 97 years. The dead ranged from 33 years to 76 years.

Mr Prime Minister, give us a belated independence gift of making the vaccination mandatory so we can gain independence from the covid19 threat. Science has proven that vaccinations are the only way to stop the covid19 virus. You have tried many things thus far, it's time to make your final