Powerful nations are stockpiling vaccines beyond their needs: PM Harris

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis- Timothy Harris, issued a statement on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, and discussed Beneficial Changes To COVID-19 Protocols.

To embark on, PM Harris stated, “As a Government, acting on the advice of our experts, we believe we have taken the measures necessary to provide us with the best possible protocols for our continued safety in light of the ongoing dangerous threat of COVID-19. As a result, we have the least number of COVID-19 cases, and all COVID-19 cases are fully recovered. We recorded no deaths owing to COVID-19, and our health system is functioning well.”

Furthermore, he added,” I encourage us all to continue to do our part to be as safe as possible. Please get vaccinated if you are yet to do so.

From the whole opening of our borders on October 31, 2020, to April 24, 2021, passenger throughput was 10,994 from 3191 flights. Global travel is down as a consequence of COVID-19. Tourist arrivals will recover when more persons get vaccinated, and confidence in the safety of international travel is restored.”

“We rolled out our vaccination programme on February 22, 2021. Over 12 thousand persons have had their first shot. There is a global-shortage of vaccines and some. America has 60 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines which it does not need, and contractual arrangements are reported to be in place for 300 million more doses. The USA recently shared 4 million doses with Canada and Mexico. CARICOM has asked that we in the region be accorded some of that stockpile. Vaccines are scarce globally and of short shelf life,” he added.

Additionally, PM Harris stated, “Vaccines are scarce globally and of short shelf life. With the countries producing the vaccines insisting that they must get priority attention, it has become very challenging for small island states like those in CARICOM to access enough vaccines in the timeframes we need to secure them.”

“I record my thanks to the Government of India for its generosity in supplying us with 20,000 doses of the vaccines. We stand in solidarity and friendship with India now being rocked by the upsurge in COVID-19 cases, and we urge those countries that can to be generous in their support to India,” PM Harris added.