BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 01, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Now that the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has secured an additional 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine courtesy the Government of the Republic of India, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris is urging even more citizens and residents to step forward and accept the vaccination jab.
Thevaccines arrived via the RSS aircraft earlier today, Monday, March 01, and were handed over to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis by His Excellency Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, High Commissioner of the Republic of India accredited to the Federation.
“To my fellow citizens and residents, I say it is now up to you to play your part in striking the final blows against COVID-19. You can play an effective part by being vaccinated. Already, over 600 plus of our citizens and residents have had their first vaccination shots, including Government and key frontline workers. This is a good start to be sure, but we need many more people to come forward,” Prime Minister Harris said during the handing over ceremony held at the RLB International Airport.
Monday’s ceremony was attended by Cabinet ministers, members of the National COVID-19 Task Force, health and tourism officials, and representatives of the media.
PrimeMinister Harris said through this generous donation, St. Kitts and Nevis now has a chance to put the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear view mirror.
Dr. Harris said, “Let us not wait any longer for we now have 20,000 doses available. The message then is quite simple – Don’t wait, vaccinate. Don’t wait to protect your loved ones – vaccinate. Don’t wait to get our economy fully operational again – vaccinate. Don’t wait to get back to your way of life – vaccinate. Don’t wait to protect your family – vaccinate. Don’t wait to protect your health – vaccinate. Don’t wait any longer for COVID-19 to go away, the answer to it is to vaccinate.”
PrimeMinister Harris used his own personal experience, as one of the first persons in St. Kitts and Nevis to take the vaccine jab, to dismiss the concerns of some members of society.
“I myself have had the vaccine last Monday (February 22), so has several other members of the Cabinet of St. Kitts and Nevis and I feel quite fine. So fine that last Monday and everyday thereafter I worked late every night after taking the vaccine and I continued my very busy schedule of activities,” said the prime minister.
Vaccinationsare currently being done at the Newtown, Basseterre, Sandy Point, and Tabernacle Health Centres in St. Kitts, and the Charlestown, Gingerland, and Combermere Health Centers in Nevis.
Accordingto Prime Minister Harris, with the addition of the 20,000 doses of vaccine the Government intends to expand the number of centers to which persons can go to get vaccinated.
