St. Kitts and Nevis is now offering the Oxford University/AstraZeneca Vaccine at the Newtown, Basseterre, Tabernacle, Sandy Point, Old Road, St. Paul’s, and Cayon Health Centres at 1:00 p.m. daily from Monday to Friday.
This was mentioned by Dr. Delores Stapleton Harris, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health on the most recent edition of Leadership Matters.
Dr. Stapleton Harris said that the 1:00 p.m. daily vaccination is a strategy to ensure that all public health services are provided during the morning period and there is focus on the COVID-19 administration during the afternoon.
She said that by this week, the ministry will be building out the vaccination at all eleven (11) health centers in St. Kitts, said the permanent secretary.
The permanent secretary said that persons are expected to complete a checklist prior to receiving the vaccine to ensure that they are suitable for it and to provide data for tracking the vaccination administration.
The vaccine will not be given if the person is allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine and like any other drug, a history of allergic reactions to any other vaccine or therapies must be reported to the health care provider, she said. She added that pregnant women and lactating moms are excluded from the vaccine.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (March 02, 2021) — Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) is advocating that all Nevisians get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Speaking at his monthly press conference on February 25, 2021, the Premier said having taken his first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on February 25, 2021, he wanted to assure the public that it was safe.
“We say to get vaccinated. Don’t wait, vaccinate. The idea is that vaccinations have proven over the years, over the centuries, to be a good way to avoid disease.
“We though it important to show our confidence in the process. We thought it important to step forward, cameras rolling that the public can see that we were comfortable and confident, that there was no risk and frankly the process, having gone through it, was painless, it was quick, it was efficient…I can say to the public I have no side effects whatsoever,” he said.
The Premier added that as more vaccines become available, persons should go out and get vaccinated free of cost. The Health Promotion Unit in the Ministry of Health is leading the education drive to provide information to the populace regarding COVID-19 vaccination.
“The vaccines are available. They will continue to roll out the public relations exercise, they will continue to roll out the campaign. They will continue to ensure that the people of Nevis are made aware and that they understand and recognize that getting vaccinated is really the way to go…
“I think that we need to just finish away with a lot of the chatter and just get to it, get it done, and keep us safe. Remember nobody is safe until everybody is safe and so the idea really is that all of us should get vaccinated,” he stated.
Mr. Brantley commended the health officials and COVID-19 Task Forces on both islands for their efficiency in managing the spread of the virus in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The island of Nevis has had 12 reported cases since the Federation’s borders reopened in October 2020, and no positive cases since the January 06, 2021.
Premier Brantley admonished persons to continue to practice the established non-pharmaceutical protocols even with the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination.
“The vaccine now provides us with that additional layer of protection. It is not to suggest that we abandon the non-pharmaceutical measures that have kept us safe thus far, because obviously we continue to encourage our people to physically distance, to wear their masks when in public or interacting with other persons, and certainly to wash their hands frequently…and sanitize,” he said.
]]>BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 01, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Now that the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has secured an additional 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine courtesy the Government of the Republic of India, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris is urging even more citizens and residents to step forward and accept the vaccination jab.
The vaccines arrived via the RSS aircraft earlier today, Monday, March 01, and were handed over to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis by His Excellency Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, High Commissioner of the Republic of India accredited to the Federation.
“To my fellow citizens and residents, I say it is now up to you to play your part in striking the final blows against COVID-19. You can play an effective part by being vaccinated. Already, over 600 plus of our citizens and residents have had their first vaccination shots, including Government and key frontline workers. This is a good start to be sure, but we need many more people to come forward,” Prime Minister Harris said during the handing over ceremony held at the RLB International Airport.
Monday’s ceremony was attended by Cabinet ministers, members of the National COVID-19 Task Force, health and tourism officials, and representatives of the media.
Prime Minister Harris said through this generous donation, St. Kitts and Nevis now has a chance to put the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear view mirror.
Dr. Harris said, “Let us not wait any longer for we now have 20,000 doses available. The message then is quite simple – Don’t wait, vaccinate. Don’t wait to protect your loved ones – vaccinate. Don’t wait to get our economy fully operational again – vaccinate. Don’t wait to get back to your way of life – vaccinate. Don’t wait to protect your family – vaccinate. Don’t wait to protect your health – vaccinate. Don’t wait any longer for COVID-19 to go away, the answer to it is to vaccinate.”
Prime Minister Harris used his own personal experience, as one of the first persons in St. Kitts and Nevis to take the vaccine jab, to dismiss the concerns of some members of society.
“I myself have had the vaccine last Monday (February 22), so has several other members of the Cabinet of St. Kitts and Nevis and I feel quite fine. So fine that last Monday and everyday thereafter I worked late every night after taking the vaccine and I continued my very busy schedule of activities,” said the prime minister.
Vaccinations are currently being done at the Newtown, Basseterre, Sandy Point, and Tabernacle Health Centres in St. Kitts, and the Charlestown, Gingerland, and Combermere Health Centers in Nevis.
According to Prime Minister Harris, with the addition of the 20,000 doses of vaccine the Government intends to expand the number of centers to which persons can go to get vaccinated.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 3, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis is now offering the Oxford University/AstraZeneca Vaccine at the Newtown, Basseterre, Tabernacle, Sandy Point, Old Road, St. Paul’s, and Cayon Health Centres at 1:00 p.m. daily from Monday to Friday.
This was mentioned by Dr. Delores Stapleton Harris, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, who appeared on the virtual forum “Leadership Matters” on March 02, 2021.
“As such, the ministry is encouraging persons who are interested in the vaccination to go to the nearest health center and make an appointment for the vaccine,” she said.
By next week, the ministry will be building out the vaccination at all eleven (11) health centers in St. Kitts, said the permanent secretary.
“So just walk in, be vaccinated, or make an appointment to do so,” she said. “I remind you that the vaccine is free of cost.”
The permanent secretary said that persons are expected to complete a checklist prior to receiving the vaccine to ensure that they are suitable for it and to provide data for tracking the vaccination administration.
The Oxford University/AstraZeneca Vaccine is administered by medical practitioners as an injection of 0.5mls into the deltoid muscle of the upper arm in two doses, informed Dr. Stapleton Harris. The second dose is given 10 weeks after. She noted that it is important to return for the second dose to complete the vaccination process.
The vaccine will not be given if the person is allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine and like any other drug, a history of allergic reactions to any other vaccine or therapies must be reported to the health care provider, she said. She added that pregnant women and lactating moms are excluded from the vaccine.
After the vaccination is received, persons are asked to wait 15 minutes to monitor for the occurrence of any immediate adverse reactions, and a vaccination record card or certificate would be stamped and issued to the person, and should be secured safely by the individual, said the permanent secretary.
Upon receiving the vaccine, persons will be told possible side effects to look for and a contact number to call to report side effects as they occur, she said.
“Therefore, I submit that the process is seamless, and I can assure the public that all relevant logistics and storage chains are in place for the vaccine as well as an established mechanism to track and trace all doses of the vaccine as they move through the system,” said Dr. Stapleton Harris.
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 01, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris has expressed profound gratitude to the Government of the Republic of India for what he described as a ‘generous donation’ of 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The vaccines, which arrived at the RLB International Airport today (Monday, March 01), were part of a larger batch of some 570,000 doses donated by the Government of India to the CARICOM region. Of that number, a total of 125,000 went to the OECS countries. Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines received 40,000 doses each, Saint Lucia got 25,000 and St. Kitts and Nevis received 20,000.
In accepting the donation, Prime Minister Harris said the additional doses of vaccine represent “real hope for our people that working together we can defeat COVID-19.”
“Through His Excellency Srinivasa, High Commissioner of the Government and people of India accredited to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, I would like to thank the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for the compassion he is showing other nations during this period of the global COVID-19 pandemic. His generous heart and enduring sense of caring and solidarity are important values which our governments share,” the prime minister said during the handing over ceremony at the RLB International Airport.
The vaccines were presented to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis by His Excellency Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, High Commissioner of the Republic of India accredited to the Federation.
Prime Minister Harris noted that one of the lessons learnt during this pandemic is how interconnected and interdependent we are as a global community.
It is against this backdrop that Dr. Harris said, “No nation is safe, no nation is secure until all nations are safe. If the world is truly to be rid of COVID-19, then the global community has to work together.”
“Donations of vaccines, like these from India, show that developing nations need help and need support. If richer nations hoard their vaccine supplies, not sharing their vaccines with those nations in need, their security will be a hollow and a shallow one. I repeat then that no nation is safe, no nation is secure until all nations are safe,” Prime Minister Harris added.
The COVISHIELD AstraZeneca-Oxford University COVID-19 vaccines received by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis were manufactured in India by the Serum Institute of India – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer – in collaboration with AstraZeneca.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 25th, 2021 (ZIZ News) Divisional Commander in charge of District ‘A’ Superintendent Cromwell Henry says he is doing well after being one of the first persons to receive the AstraZeneca Covid19 vaccine on Monday.
On this week’s edition of Policing with You, the Superintendent joined host Inspector James Francis and shared his experience, noting that receiving the vaccine was reminiscent of vaccines he has received in the past.
Superintendent Henry said other officers who received the vaccine have experienced minor side effects but have since recovered.
On Monday, 70 persons including government officials and frontline workers received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at a ceremony at the Newtown Community Center.
Policing with You airs every Thursday from 9:15 am on the Morning Show with GCUE.
]]>Basseterre’s. Kitts, February 25, 2021 (SKNIS): Vaccines, as with all medicines throughout the world, must go through extensive and rigorous testing to ensure that they are safe before they can be clinically approved for global human use.
This was explained by the Medical Chief of Staff at the Joseph N. France General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, during the virtual forum series ‘Leadership Matters’ on February 23, 2021.
He said, “An experimental vaccine is first tested in animals to evaluate its safety and potential to prevent disease. If positive results are achieved in a lab, a manufacturer can then apply for clinical trials meaning testing in human beings.”
“Many of the COVID-19 vaccine trials will never make it beyond the stage of animal testing,” he said. “There are currently more than 200 such vaccine trials being conducted with only 60 at the clinical stage and just a handful have been given emergency use authorization for use in the general public.”
Dr. Wilkinson said that “this speaks to the rigorous safety hurdles that have to be crossed before a vaccine can make its way into your arm.”
He explained that “These trials typically involve several thousand healthy participants on a voluntary basis whose safety is ensured by national regulatory authorities and may last many years.”
He further explained that the trials are governed by strict regulations and take place across four major clinical phases once reliable, safe data are received from animal studies.
“In phase one, the vaccine is given to a small number of volunteers usually between 20-50 to assess its safety, side effects; composition mode of administration confirms if it generates an immune response and determines the right dosage,” said Dr. Wilkinson
“If successful, it proceeds to phase two. In phase two, the vaccine is usually given to hundreds of volunteers who are closely monitored for any side effects and to further assess its ability to generate any new response.
Participants in this phase have the same characteristics such as age and sex as the people for whom the vaccine is intended.
“In this phase, some volunteers receive the vaccine and others do not, which allows comparisons to be made and conclusions are drawn about the vaccine,” said Dr. Wilkinson
He continued, “Phase three is similar to phase two but expanded to involve thousands of volunteers with a continued assessment of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.”
Additionally, he said, “Once the results of phase three clinical trials are available, a number of steps are required including reviews by various regulatory boards before the vaccine can be introduced into a national immunization programme.”
“Following the introduction of a vaccine, close monitoring continues to detect any unexpected adverse side effects and further assess its effectiveness in the general population,” Dr. Wilkinson said.
]]>BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, February 24, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris and local medical experts continue to advocate for citizens and residents to accept the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine when it becomes available to them free of cost.
Speaking on last night’s (Tuesday, February 23) edition of Leadership Matters, Prime Minister Harris reminded nationals and those tuned in to the popular programme that St. Kitts and Nevis has a highly commendable record of vaccination.
“A number of vaccination programmes come readily to mind. Measles, Mumps and Rubella; Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus; yellow fever; Hepatitis inactivated polio; oral polio vaccine; DPT, and the Human Papillomavirus vaccines. All these vaccination programmes and more have helped us to have a very outstanding record in healthcare delivery,” Dr. Harris said.
Prime Minister Harris noted that all these different vaccines have helped to save many lives and that “we must add the COVID-19 vaccine to our list.”
In his plea to citizens and residents to accept the vaccine, Prime Minister Harris said it is important for one to take responsibility for their own health.
“When you vaccinate you protect yourself from the worst effects of COVID-19 and you strengthen your immune system to fight COVID-19. This responsibility must extend to our families, our communities, and indeed to our country. We avoid the risk of overwhelming our health system with consequential deaths and life threatening scenarios. Another reason why we should vaccinate is that vaccination will help us to put thousands back to work, especially in areas of high contact such as our hotels, restaurants, taxi and tour operations sub-sectors,” the prime minister stated.
Importantly, Prime Minister Harris said the vaccination of a majority of the population will help St. Kitts and Nevis return to a state of near normalcy.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 23rd, 2021 (ZIZ News) Dozens of persons turned up at the Newtown Health Centre on Tuesday for the second day of the government’s vaccination rollout plan.
According to Deputy Coordinator for Community Nursing Services Nurse Rhonda Lowry-Robinson the turnout was very encouraging.
The patients themselves spoke of their willingness to get the vaccine.
The vaccinations are being held at the Newtown, Basseterre, Sandy Point, and Tabernacle Health Centres in St. Kitts and The Charlestown, Gingerland, & Cumbermere Health Centres in Nevis
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NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 23, 2021) — Twenty health professionals on Nevis received World Health Organization (WHO) certification for participating in a training exercise “COVID-19 Vaccination Training for Health Care Workers” at the Disaster Management Department’s (NDMD) conference room on February 19, 2021.
Dr. Judy Nisbett, Chair of the Nevis COVID-19 Task Force told the Department of Information that the training will serve as a refresher course to administer the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine on Nevis.
“We are going to be doing a refresher course on vaccination, vaccination in general covering topics such as record keeping, the cool chain for example which involves keeping the vaccines cool throughout their journey from central stores to regional stores and eventually to the client so that their efficacy can be maintained.
“We will also be looking…at the AstraZeneca[-Oxford] vaccine, and all of this is in an effort to roll out the AstraZeneca vaccine in the population… So we have brought the health care workers together so that they can be more prepared for this roll out of the vaccination,” she said.
The participants were nurses, doctors, and some health care workers from the community health unit. Dr. Nisbett stated that the training session would not be the only one however, as the roll out commences and continues other health care workers would receive training to ensure a smooth roll out of the vaccination programme in the fight against COVID-19.
When the vaccination process commences, it will be available to the public at health centers throughout the island.
Dr. Nisbett, who is also the Medical Officer of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) used the opportunity to urge Nevisians and residents to get vaccinated to keep Nevis safe.
“I want to implore persons to take the vaccine. It will protect you from severe COVID-19 and keep our country safe. Our country has to be safe in order for the economy to get going again. So I implore persons to take the vaccine and to ensure that our country is covered and safe,” she said.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 11, 2021 (SKNIS): According to the Financial Times, which is an international daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs, the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (Sage) has stated that the Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine can be used by all adults, even the elderly, worldwide.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws, reported this during her presentation at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) Press Briefing on February 10, 2021.
“The vaccine can be used by all people over the age of 18 years in all countries,” she said. “The WHO recommends an interval of about eight to 12 weeks between the doses. It has been shown that the two-dose efficacy and immunogenicity increase with a longer inter-dose interval.”
She stated that preliminary evidence of the vaccine, which the Federation is expecting through the COVAX Facility, shows that it is effective against the variant first identified in the United Kingdom. “This is reassuring,” said Dr. Laws.
The Chief Medical Officer added that Oxford University and AstraZeneca have said that they expect this vaccine to protect against the more severe disease and death caused by the variant that was first identified in South Africa.
“This is also reassuring because preliminary data a few days ago found that from a trial conducted in South Africa last week, that the vaccine had reduced efficacy against mild and moderate disease caused by the variant first identified in South Africa,” she said. “So what they are saying is that it provides you protection against moderate to severe disease.”
The WHO is expected to issue an emergency use listing for this vaccine as early as this coming Monday (February 15), said Dr. Laws.
“This is important because the COVAX Facility can only distribute vaccines that have achieved World Health Organization emergency use listing,” she said. “Once this happens, we should be hopeful in terms of expecting our allocation coming out of the COVAX Facility.”
]]>Vaccines delivery schedules announced for countries participating in COVAX
Washington, D.C., Jan. 31, 2021 (PAHO) — COVAX, a coalition led by WHO and Gavi to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, has notified countries in the Americas of the estimated dose allocation for the first phase of vaccine delivery in a letter to health authorities, the Pan American Health Organization reported today. Thirty-six of the countries and territories participating in COVAX received letters about the estimated number of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine that they could be receiving from the second half of February through the second quarter of 2021.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is still under review by WHO for emergency use approval (EUL), which is expected to occur in the next few days. The number of doses and delivery schedule is still subject to EUL and manufacturing production capacity, as well as establishing supply agreements between the producers, PAHO, and UNICEF. According to the COVAX statement, it is estimated that around 35.3 million doses will be arriving in the Americas in this first stage.
“With more than 45 million confirmed cases and more than one million deaths, countries and territories throughout the Americas, particularly the poorest among them, are experiencing an unprecedented health, economic and social crisis,” said PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne.
The start of vaccine delivery through the COVAX mechanism is a hopeful step in the fight against this virus and PAHO is proud to facilitate an effort that is urgently needed for our region.”
PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne
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