Statement
STATEMENT FROM MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
HONOURABLE CARVIN MALONE
ON THE ARRIVAL OF ASTRAZENECA VACCINE FROM DOMINICA
Thursday, 5th March, 2021
Good news people of the Virgin Islands.
The Government of the Virgin Islands, through the Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, Premier’s Office and his International Affairs Secretariat, has just received good news from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Dominica has agreed to grant British Virgin Islands 2,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine for immediate distribution.
The OECS negotiated on behalf of the BVI. The arrangements are being made to have the vaccines transported to the Virgin Islands by this weekend.
The second batch of the vaccine from the United Kingdom which was initially due to arrive on the 3rd March, due to delays, will now arrive on 17th March. Due to the delay, the rollout programme led by the Ministry of Health was interrupted resulting in a temporary halt of administering the vaccines.
However, the assurance of OECS with the commitment of the Government of Dominica to furnish the 2,000 vaccines along with the assurance given by the Governor regarding the arrival of the vaccine from the UK, the BVI vaccine rollout will now be in a better position to continue to vaccinate the BVI Public, thereby allowing our economy to continue to move from strength to strength.
The Government of the Virgin Islands expresses its thanks and appreciation to the Government of Dominica and all the OECS Member States, with special thanks to the Director General, and all the members of the OECS Commission for their support and commitment as we navigate the challenges of this global pandemic.
