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Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 15, 2021 (SKNIS): Across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis countless persons are taking advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated within their communities. Prime Minister Dr. The Hon. Timothy Harris applauded the ongoing community vaccination roll-out on May 15, 2021, at the Sylvia Garnette Primary Healthcare Facility, while calling for even more persons to stop the hesitance and get vaccinated now as the vaccine is still free and accessible.

“The vaccination drive is an effort to ensure that as many persons are able to access the vaccine in a manner that is convenient. We have moved from six (6) centers in total when we initially started to all eleven (11) community-based health centers on St. Kitts and a further six (6) in Nevis to administer the vaccines. Additionally, the Ministry of Health has put a mobile unit in place that goes to workplaces to administer the vaccine once there is a sufficient number at the workplace. The wider good is that we protect persons from becoming seriously ill or worse yet dying as a result of the COVID-19,” said Prime Minister Harris.

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has received regional and international praise for the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and acclaimed as one of the few countries in the world to record not a single death due to the virus. The robust health and safety protocols and life-saving strategies implemented by the Government continue to ensure the safety and security of citizens and residents.

Prime Minister Harris continued his advocacy for persons to get out and get vaccinated, highlighting the record 800 persons on St. Kitts and Nevis who received the vaccine on May 14, 2021. In light of the global vaccine shortage, Prime Minister Harris further urged persons to continue to use wisdom and to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“They must get vaccinated before it’s too late. With a vaccine shortage around the world, there is no promise that vaccines will be readily available to persons whenever they choose to take them. Wisdom then dictates that you should take it now when it is available and free of cost. So, my advice would simply be that there is enough factual information, go speak to your private Doctor and ignore propaganda and misinformation,” said Prime Minister Harris. It is important to note that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine currently available in the Federation is also the vaccine of choice for 148 countries around the world.

As of Friday, May 14, 2021, a total of 17,040 vaccine doses have been administered in St. Kitts and Nevis. Of that number, 2,960 persons have received their second dose. In order to reach herd immunity, 70 percent of the total population, which is 33, 037 persons, must be fully vaccinated with the two doses. Currently, 8.9 percent of the target population has received their second dose.