St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis Dr.Timothy Harris takes the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine shot at the Newtown Health Center on 22 February 2021 with DPM Richards other Cabinet members.
The first batch of vaccines was administered through a brief ceremony held as part of the Government’s National coronavirus Vaccination Rollout & Awareness Drive Launch.
Prime Minister Harris was the second receiver of the coronavirus vaccine. The first receiver was the Medical Chief of Staff of the JNF General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson.
Prime Minister Harris stated SKN has managed the coronavirus pandemic remarkably well, adding that he is especially pleased the Federation has now reached the stage of vaccination without recording a single death or major hospitalization as a result of the deadly disease.
“We are now on a watershed moment, the moment of vaccination,” said Dr. Harris. “We had constantly hoped that we would be able to start our vaccination programme before there was any sign of community spread in our Federation. Thank God for He has brought us this far and we can fulfill this goal.”
Other ministers of the Federal Cabinet, including Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Shawn Richards and Minister of Health et al, the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett, were amongst more than 50 persons to take the coronavirus vaccine.
Prime Minister Harris said it was vital for them as government leaders to be amongst the first to receive the vaccine.
“The Cabinet has come now to be part of the first rollout because leadership matters & in this particular case, particularly in the context of disinformation with respect to vaccines, we want to signal to our people that it is safe and the outcomes so far have been efficacious,” Dr. Harris said.
With frontline workers, the COVID-19 vaccine was also given to the Commissioner of Police, Hilroy Brandy, members of the National Coronavirus Taskforce.
Ramanjot Kaur is a dedicated journalist with a Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication, specializing in economic and political news reporting with incisive analysis and integrity.
