Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 30, 2021 (SKNIS): Persons desirous of being vaccinated can now do so without any appointment, said the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Minister of Health, during her presentation at the September 30 Sitting of National Assembly at Parliamentary Chambers.
“The Ministry of Health aims to remove all barriers to the access to vaccination. There is now no appointment needed for vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine. Persons can simply walk into the various clinics during the scheduled hours for vaccination and be vaccinated,” said Minister Byron-Nisbett. The Federation received an additional 1000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. And we are expecting some further supplies shortly. This then facilitates us offering two vaccine choices at our clinics, the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, Minister Byron-Nisbett added.
Health Centers in St. Kitts will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Sundays, Basseterre, Tabernacle and Old Road will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while all the other centers will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Equally important, Minister Byron-Nisbett said that the Ministry of Health continues to work closely with the Ministry of Education to “determine a schedule for our high schools regarding when each class will be accommodated for vaccination.”
She noted that the more people who get vaccinated, the sooner St. Kitts and Nevis can get back to a level of normalcy. She implored all to play their part and exercise a “keen sense of individual and community responsibility” as the government cannot fight COVID-19 alone.
“As more people are protected from COVID-19 through vaccination, our goals of achieving maximal closeness again, reducing travel restrictions, masking and distancing stipulations will undoubtedly be closer to attainment. Clearly, not only have vaccines protected us for decades but it has been proven that vaccines will continue to help us with our usual, traditional existential way of life and safeguard us from deadly and debilitating vaccine-preventable diseases,” she said. “We need all hands on deck. We need persons to comply with the protocols, we need persons to take the vaccine. Both the non-pharmaceutical measures and the vaccines in combination save lives, and the evidence is irrefutable. Remember, the decisions we all make can be the difference between life and death.”
The health minister reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s position relative to the continued rollout of the ministry’s response plan as the Federation endeavours to turn the tide of the pandemic.
“Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Health is immensely appreciative of the invaluable role of its frontline and essential workers, its partners, caregivers, private/public sector, and every person, family and community, working collaboratively to ensure that we get through this together,” she said.
According to Minister Byron-Nisbett, to date, the Ministry of Health has invested over 18 million dollars thus far in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.
