The problem facing Jamaica with scores of people refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine was underscored during a 30-minute taxi ride recently as the driver pointed to religion and spouted unscientific data as reasons he would never take the vaccine.

“I would rather dead than take any COVID-19 vaccine,” declared the driver in animated fashion.

He charged that the vaccine is the work of the Devil and all of God’s people should refuse to take it.

When it was pointed out that several religious leaders have taken the vaccine and have been urging members of their congregations to do the same, the driver, who asked that his name be withheld, responded with scorn.

“The children of God cannot be deceived, because we track down and study everything. The people who have the Holy Spirit and are born again cannot be deceived. The Bible say the Devil ago come and deceive many people; that mean say all some people who are Christians are going to get deceived,” said the driver.

He charged that there was no way anyone who understands the Bible would take the vaccine.

“You look like an intelligent man and you let them trick you into taking the vaccine. You should go read Revelation 13 and you will see that the vaccine is the ‘Mark of the Beast’,” declared the driver as he rejected medical data which shows that the vaccine will help people who contract the virus avoid major illness or death.

When questioned if he would be sorry for not taking the vaccine and getting seriously ill after contracting the virus, he scoffed at the question.

“Di only sorry mi ago sorry is if mi take the 666 and go a Hell; and I will not be going to Hell. If me have the choice between taking the vaccine or taking the death, me ago take the death. You know why me would take the death? Is because he [who] loveth his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for the Almighty sake shall gain,” added the driver.

He argued that the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin is effective in treating the virus. He went on to state, incorrectly, that it has been banned because the “powers that be” want to ensure that people take the vaccine.

Even when he was pointed to the fact that the Jamaican Government has not banned Ivermectin, but has not approved it for treating COVID-19, the driver would not be swayed, as he argued that reports of the number of people to have died from the virus are made up.

“Mi go in every community in Jamaica and nobody sick. Mi go from street to street, yard to yard, starting from where me live in Portmore, [St Catherine], and nobody sick. Me go here, there and everywhere and me no see no taxi driver, no bus driver with coronavirus,” declared the driver, as he argued that the death rate in Jamaica has not changed.