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August 20, 2021

(Antigua Newsroom) Health Minister Molwyn Joseph released data late Thursday showing 23 young people, 18 years and under, had contracted COVID-19 in Antigua & Barbuda over the past 45 days.

“COVID has now taken a direct strike on the young people of Antigua & Barbuda,” the Minister cautioned.

He said the coronavirus used to primarily affect the elderly, but the data is now showing “a lot more young people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are coming down regularly with the virus.”

“Twenty-three children in about 45 days in Antigua & Barbuda have contracted this virus and have become ill. One of them is in the hospital right now, a 4-year-old,” the Minister revealed.

He said the figure included two 18-year-olds.

“We have a 7-month-old who died at the hospital from COVID, a 7-month-old. We have, within the last 45 days, an 11-month-old, a 1-year-old, 2-year-old, a 4-year-old, a 5-year-old, two 6-year-old, a 7-year-old, a 9-year-old, a 10-year-old, three 12-year-old, a 13-year-old, three 15-year-old, one 16-year-old, two 17-year-old and two 18-year-old,” Joseph reported.

The Health Minister said people who chose not to get vaccinated were contributing to children in the country becoming ill and dying from COVID-19.

“The adults in this country must understand they are doing a disservice to the young people of Antigua & Barbuda, who do not have it within their own authority to make decisions for themselves,” he said.

Joseph insisted “children in our country should not be the victim of irresponsible adult behaviour.”