Antigua and Barbuda: Around 80% students vaccinated against COVID-19 after govt’s new vaccine policy

In Antigua and Barbuda, 80 percent of the eligible student population is now fully vaccinated against the deadly COVID virus. This milestone has been achieved by the island after the government made it mandate for the secondary school students, teachers, and other staff members to get vaccinated or they would not be permitted to enter school premises. 

On the other hand, over 90 percent of public school teachers have also vaccinated themselves against coronavirus and would now be allowed to enter the school premises. 

The data by the Antiguan government shows that 7,200 students are eligible to take COVID vaccines shot, out of which over 6,200 are now fully vaccinated or inoculated with atleast one dose of the vaccine. 

Minister of Information – Melford Nicholas, on achieving this milestone, cited, “Remaining unvaccinated students who are still pending their first dose will be permitted to return to school with one caveat, that they will have to return with a rapid antigen test that indicates their negative status”.

He furthermore noted that, “This will continue for the rest of the term and into the new term on the basis they will have to do it twice per month. Every two weeks they will be required to undertake one of these tests”.  

The vaccinated students would be allowed to attend the offline classes from Monday onwards (November 22, 2021), in both public and private secondary schools, with a negative COVID-19 test, which will be available at clinics free of cost to the students, the minister added. 

This is a huge success for the government of Antigua and Barbuda. Although, the Gaston Browne administration noted that the schools are being operated under strict COVID-19 guidelines, and school authorities are making sure that no health protocol is violated either by school staff or students. 

Earlier this week, several parents and students came on the streets to protest against the mandate vaccination policy of the government.