by Clive Bacchus
St Kitts and Nevis (WINN): St. Kitts and Nevis has received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines, and it’s from the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, in a broadcast to the nation at 7 pm Saturday (February 13) confirmed regional media reports aired earlier last week, that COVID-19 vaccines had arrived in St Kitts and Nevis, compliments of Dominica also donated vaccines to Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
” I am pleased to announce that the government of St Kitts and Nevis received 2000 doses of COVID- 19 vaccines from the government of Dominica,” Dr. Harris said.
The Prime Minister assured the country that “our health professionals have worked to establish a vaccination plan to immunize not only our frontline and essential workers but every citizen and resident in due course, ” but stopped short of providing details of how and when the vaccines received from Dominica will be distributed.
Dominica is sharing vaccines donated by India.
India dispatched Oxford Astrazeneca vaccines, called Covishield COVID-19 vaccines in India, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, to Barbados and Dominica.
Barbados, with a population estimated at close to 285,000, reportedly received 100,000 vaccines from India.
Dominica, with a population estimated at close to 71,000, reportedly received 70,000.
India plans to distribute 500,000 vaccines across the Caribbean in what some have described as its “vaccine diplomacy’ initiative.
” Further assistance, in the form of vaccine donations, is also expected from the government of India and other allies. These… donations from multiple sources will enhance our ability to roll out our mass vaccination program, ” Dr. Harris reported Saturday night.
St. Kitts and Nevis has also received confirmation that 21,600 vaccines from COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access facility, known as COVAX, will be in the country before the end of the month.
Long time ally, the Republic of China on Taiwan is also granting St. Kitts and Nevis $600,000 to procure vaccines.
Officials are aiming to vaccine 70 percent of the population’s estimated 53,000 people to achieve “herd immunity” also know as population immunity or the indirect protection from infectious disease.
The Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine is reportedly 62 percent effective and 90 percent effective with a lower dose than the required two doses and it can be stored in a normal refrigerator.
