NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 16, 2021) — Hon Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, says he is pleased with the national roll-out plan for COVID-19 vaccination on St. Kitts and Nevis.

Mr. Brantley, Senior Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), spoke on the issue of COVID vaccination with the Department of Information on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.

“I am very proud of the robust way in which the health professionals, the CMO [Chief Medical Officer] and the entire team on Nevis and on St. Kitts are rolling out this vaccination program.

“I anticipate that the media will be hearing much more about it in the days ahead, but I’m very satisfied that this national roll-out is occurring and they have put together a comprehensive plan.

“Thus far I’m very pleased with what I’m seeing and I hope that this roll out continues in the professional way that it’s being done,” he said.

The federation recently received its first batch of vaccines courtesy of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The 2000 doses have been earmarked for frontline workers and vulnerable persons.

St. Kitts and Nevis is expected to receive an additional 21,600 doses of the AstraZeneca AZD1222 vaccine from the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility by the end of February, and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has pledged $600,000 to assist the federation to procure extra vaccines.

The Ministries of Health on St. Kitts and on Nevis continue to coordinate the management of COVID-19 on the twin island federation, and are making final preparations for the imminent roll-out of the mass vaccination program for citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Premier Brantley encouraged the people of Nevis to embrace the vaccination process.

“Of course we feel vaccination is the only way that is currently available to use to finally put COVID-19 in our rear-view mirror and so we encourage our people to take advantage of the opportunity to become vaccinated when those vaccines become available,” he stated.