Around 50 Percent Of The Prison Population At HMP Vaccinated With The First Dose, Says PS Petty

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 02, 2021 (SKNIS): Osmond Petty, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, announced during the NEOC COVID-19 Press Briefing for Friday, July 02, 2021, that just around 50 percent of the population at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) have received at least the first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

“There are 179 inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison of which 89 have been vaccinated, that is just around 50 percent. Sixty-four of that 89 have been fully vaccinated with their two doses and 25 have had one dose,” said Mr. Petty.

Fifty-five inmates were tested positive with the COVID-19 virus, 42 between June 09-29 and 13 on July 01. Forty of the cases from the previous batch are showing signs of recovery. Mr. Petty noted that the 13 new cases had no contact with the previous cases.

“I want to stress that those 13 were not in any way contaminated by the previous [cases] because they were isolated,” he said, adding that there is no need for concern. “There is absolutely no reason for panic at the prison, everything is under control and those who have tested positive have been totally isolated.”

The permanent secretary said that a recently constructed three-story building on the compound of the prison currently houses about 25 inmates who have all tested negative. He said that every “effort is being made to keep them totally isolated from all the other prisoners at HMP.”

Equally important, Mr. Petty noted that of the 70 staff members at HMP in St. Kitts, 52 have been vaccinated representing roughly 74 percent, while nine of the 19 staff at the prison in Nevis have been vaccinated.