NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 01, 2021)— The island of Nevis and the wider Federation celebrated Seniors’ Month in October, and Hon. Eric Evelyn, Minister of Community Development in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), continues to advocate for those charged with the care of elderly persons to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Minister is re-iterating the urgent appeal he made during the October 05, 2021 sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly. He noted that especially as it relates to the novel corona virus, seniors are one of the most vulnerable groups in society, and protecting them from contracting the deadly virus must be a priority.

“Those of you who have seniors in your care, looking after seniors, those who seniors that are relatives at home who are a bit frail, who cannot take the vaccine…and I want to make a clarion call, that you need to take responsibility and get vaccinated.

“I want to remind you- those of you who have seniors in your care and those of you who are caring for seniors in our seniors facilities- that if you take COVID into those facilities, into your home, and give it to your senior and that senior dies, you will have to live with that for the rest of your life,” he stated.

Hon. Evelyn encouraged staff at the government-run Flamboyant Nursing Home at the Alexandra Hospital in particular to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The usual slate of activities held to celebrate seniors during October had to be curtailed since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, so as not to expose the older citizens to the virus.

The NIA, as part of the federal vaccination program, continues to make the COVID-19 vaccines available to the general public free of cost at health centres across Nevis.