By Kevon Browne
St Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Medical Chief of Staff, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, during the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) COVID-19 Press Briefing on December 02, 2020, stated that it was hoped that the Caribbean Member States will receive the vaccine by March 2021.
However, during the first day of the 2021 Budget hearing on Tuesday, December 15, Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, stated that the vaccine would be available during the second quarter of 2021.
News of the initial estimated date came after it was reported that St. Kitts and Nevis made a down payment of about EC$800,000 through COVAX to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, according to official statements.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that “through funding from the European Union, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in partnership with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), secured down payments to purchase over 1 million doses of the expected COVID-19 vaccine(s) for the Caribbean Member States.
However, regardless of the securing of these doses, St. Kitts-Nevis may not have access until the second quarter of 2021. There have also been numerous reports globally that poorer countries are expected to have a difficult time securing the vaccine.
