Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 22, 2021 (SKNIS): On Thursday (May 20, 2021), Giselle Matthews, President of St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce (SKNCIC), shared her personal story of vaccine hesitancy and why she ultimately decided to get a jab in the hopes of encouraging others to get vaccinated.
During an emergency briefing of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), Mrs. Matthews indicated that her family has a medical history with [poor] circulation and she also has coagulation. This was a concern as there were investigations in some countries surrounding reports of a small number of individuals developing blood clots after taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab.
However, blood clots are not unusual.
“I have had a clot in 2012 and 2014,” she stated, adding that it is quite common in pregnant women or persons who take long-haul flights.
Mrs. Matthews indicated that she researched the vaccines and their reported side effects and decided to take the jab on March 08, 2021.
“That was a decision that I made looking at the risks that were presented to me,” she expressed. “I decided that the best option was to save my life and that of those around me – the people I work with, my family, and I am here to tell you … look at me, I am standing here today.”
Mrs. Matthews said she never expected to share her story, but hopes that it will resonate with individuals who are still undecided or have other reservations due to health issues. She strongly advised persons to ignore the misinformation and propaganda circulating on social media and other platforms and to seek out credible sources of information.
“Go to your doctor, speak to your medical practitioner or someone you trust who will give you information,” she advised.
