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Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 24, 2020 (SKNIS): Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Hazel Laws, has commended residents in St. Kitts and Nevis for being key players in the country’s successful management of the COVID-19, which ranks as one of the best among independent countries across the globe.

During the COVID-19 Weekly Briefing by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) on December 23, 2020, CMO Laws referred to a recent tile circulating on social media that chronicled the distinction that the nation currently holds.

“St. Kitts and Nevis has the lowest rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Caribbean. The Federation has the lowest COVID-19 risk in the (Western) hemisphere. Ladies and gentlemen, this is an achievement,” she stated.

The country has recorded a total of 30 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus with zero deaths to date. Eleven imported cases have been recorded since the borders reopened to regional and international travellers on October 31, 2020. At Thursday’s briefing, the CMO indicated that there are four active cases of COVID-19. The individuals remain in strict quarantine.

Residents remain free to move around during the Christmas and Carnival season but are required to comply with all health and safety protocols. These include wearing face masks when in public, sanitizing hands frequently, and maintaining a physical distance of 3.5 to 6 feet from others. Persons are also strongly encouraged to avoid events hosting large crowds.

Dr. Laws referred to the two COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna which were approved for emergency use in the United States and several other countries. The vaccines are being touted as having more than 90 percent efficacy rate. She also mentioned that other vaccines were in development to treat the novel coronavirus.

“There is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and so there is hope,” the CMO said, expressing optimism that the global situation will improve in 2021.