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On Sep 8, 2020

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, September 07, 2020 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The United States-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis among countries with a very low risk of contracting COVID-19, in its latest Risk Assessment Level for COVID-19 that was updated on September 04, 2020.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is America’s leading public health agency. It uses Travel Health Notices to advise travelers and other audiences about health threats around the world.

St. Kitts and Nevis was listed among some 25 other countries on the CDC’s ‘No Travel Health Notice: COVID-19 Risk is Very Low’.

The CDC bases its COVID-19 Travel Health Notice risk levels on two sets of data: virus transmission rates at the destination, which is the primary criteria, and healthcare capacity and public health infrastructure at the destination.

The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has maintained an R value or reproductive number of below 0.3. The R value is a way of rating the virus’ ability to spread. It’s the number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to, on average.

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, while speaking on a recent edition of the popular Leadership Matters virtual series, stated that the low risk rating placed on St. Kitts and Nevis comes as a result of the country’s excellent management of the pandemic.

Dr. Harris said, “This is indicative of our effective control measures in containing this deadly virus and the personal responsibility you took in changing your behavior and adapting to the new norms.”

The honourable prime minister, however, continues to urge citizens and residents to comply with the non-pharmaceutical measures outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and health professionals that have helped in containing the spread of the deadly virus.