Published 13 August 2021
Basseterre
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 13, 2021 (SKNIS): Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris said diplomacy on the part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) with the United States of America has worked in procuring well-needed vaccines to help with the pharmaceutical measure in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
The donation comes after months of diplomatic communications between Prime Minister Harris as the CARICOM Head with responsibility for Health and other CARICOM leaders. Across the globe, less developing countries are struggling to secure enough vaccines to have their populations vaccinated as the Delta variant continues to surge.
The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis received an initial donation of 11,700 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from President Joe Biden and the Government and people of the United States on August 12, 2021. Prime Minister Harris lauded the donation, stressing the importance of providing protection to the Federation’s children twelve years and over in an effort to safeguard their futures.
“This is a tremendous benefit since our children can now have their own protection rather than relying on vaccinated adults for their protection. This means our secondary school students can be put in a safer position as schools reopen in September. The disruption earlier this year of our secondary schools because of COVID-19 is less likely to reoccur and our children can enjoy in-classroom learning. Their tomorrow will be brighter than today. We want all our children to be safe, to be protected, and to be properly educated. My administration is committed to delivering a stronger safer future, and to do so we must protect our young people, even as we continue to secure the well-being of every other demographic within the society,” said Prime Minister Harris.
The prime minister further stated that citizens and residents who have not been vaccinated as yet must do so in an effort to protect themselves and others. He stressed that the vaccine has been proven to be the most effective tool in the fight against COVID-19, while also applauding the job of the frontline healthcare workers in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
“Across the world, the best scientific evidence indicates that vaccination offers a critical layer of protection to individuals, and this provides the best possible outcomes to communities and countries. The arrival today of more vaccines brings us even closer to fully opening up our country once again to the world. I want to strongly encourage as many of our citizens and residents as possible to get vaccinated. The lives and livelihoods, and the overall quality of life of our people are important and we must do what we can together to secure the necessary protection,” said Prime Minister Harris.
