SKN government announces lockdown for Nevis island

The Prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis island - Dr Timothy Harris, while televised an address to the nation on Friday, July 2 2021, informed that the SKN government had obtained an additional five thousand - 5,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: The Prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis island – Dr Timothy Harris, while televised an address to the nation on Friday, July 2 2021, informed that the SKN government had obtained an additional five thousand – 5,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite this, PM Harris announced that from Saturday, July 3 2021, the island of Nevis would be under related lockdown restrictions to its sister island of St Kitts until Monday, July 12, 2021.

PM Harris noted these novel coronavirus vaccines had been secured as part of the islands’ vaccination drive to assure that at least 70 per cent of the population is vaccinated against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic by achieving the target of herd immunity.

“Seeing the general global shortage of the COVID-19 vaccines, I have been engaged with a number of CARICOM Heads, and via bilateral diplomatic arrangements, we have secured an additional 5,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines,” PM Harris asserted.

These COVID-19 vaccines have an expiry date of August 31, 2021.

He further informed that with securing these additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the sister island would resume its vaccination drive from Thursday, 8 July 2021.

Following the statement, the prime minister informed that the contract tracing of the coronavirus cases is ongoing and stated, “The government is hopeful that there will be no more positive cases, but we simply cannot be sure.”

“The next several days, therefore, would allow our health team to undertake the contact tracing more efficiently and permit us to reset and recharge ourselves for the continuing battle ahead,” PM Harris further noted.

“Vaccination is scarce”, the prime minister cited as he encouraged the citizens to take their jab of the COVID-19 vaccine and secure themselves and their family members.

PM Harris further noticed that if the citizens get themselves vaccinated, it would help the nation reopen its businesses, would help to avoid these lockdowns, quarantines, curfews and other restrictions, and restart nations’ economy.