In the Government’s weekly press conference held on Monday, January 25th, the Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Tourism, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, highlighted the theme for the upcoming vaccination campaign in which Government will be endeavouring to sensitise the general public concerning the need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus infection.
The theme, “Vaccinate for You, Me and the Economy”, brings into focus the importance of Anguillian residents taking the vaccination in order for our society to enjoy some semblance of normalcy — by stemming the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Parliamentary Secretary set out to remind listeners about what the normal “simple pleasures” of life would be like in Anguilla if they were vaccinated:
“As soon as we can get the engines turning once more,” she said, “we would be able to see the return of the ‘simple pleasures’ that we long for. For some, the term ‘simple pleasures’ remind them of heading over to St. Martin for a day; taking a vacation; visiting friends and family overseas; flying off to be at the bedside of a sick or dying loved one; going overseas to a funeral; affording to pay your electricity bill; affording to pay your mortgage and buying your favourite foods.”
She reminded the public that in Anguilla hotels have reopened and some have had to close again, as there have been ebbs and flows of arrivals — and there has been limited economic activity. She mentioned the fact that persons have been laid off since March 2020, and that there are people who are in search of jobs with little or no prospects of employment. “We ask you today, to vaccinate for them,” she appealed.
Another appeal with regard to vaccination came from the Permanent Secretary of Health, Mr. Foster Rogers, who spoke extensively on the essential requirement for residents of Anguilla to be vaccinated in order that the economy could be resuscitated. He said: “The Ministry of Health has worked hard and long over the last twelve months to ensure that the public was protected.”
“Personnel in the Ministry have sometimes had sleepless nights,” he stated, “conducting research, engaging in discussions, and sometimes even having arguments. All this work was designed to protect the public which is not so easy to persuade. Seeing that the public has access to the internet, Facebook and Whatsapp, there are so many different messages and ideas, some right and some wrong, regarding the treatment of persons relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We at the Ministry of Health,” he said, “have to try to wade through all this information or misinformation, and we have to filter and distill all that to package it for the public, in the best way we can, so that it is palatable enough for persons to partake of the facts.” “We are always working in the best interest of the public of Anguilla,” he ascertained.
With reference to the sluggish economy and vaccination, Mr. Rogers remarked: “One of the tradeoffs that occur when we take measures to protect the public is the impact on the economy. However, we now have a great opportunity to reverse a lot of the economic issues by taking the COVID-19 vaccine. Over the last year, we have always maintained that the best way to overcome this disease, and the impacts on the economy, is through vaccination.”
He said that now is the chance for the people of Anguilla to do their part since the vaccine is the best option to alleviate economic stress and help Anguilla return on the road to economic recovery.
He noted: “Public Health has been existing through the administering of vaccines for the last seventy years or so. We have vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella; and we have vaccinated against tuberculosis and polio. We have always had an efficient and effective vaccination programme.”
The Permanent Secretary passionately implored: “All we are asking the public to do is to do the research and listen to us. Do not just follow and agree with something that is forwarded on Whatsapp or Facebook. The reality is that since these vaccines have come out, there has not been any major untoward problem with the vaccinations. The vaccines are indeed safe.”
He said that the COVID-19 vaccines have been tried and tested on four different continents in over 50,000 people with no deaths. He further noted that research has shown that the vaccines are harmless and very effective, and that in order for Anguilla to reach the standard of herd-immunity (where a greater majority is immunised against COVID-19 infection) at least 70% of the population must be vaccinated.
The Government of Anguilla, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is due to undertake an aggressive campaign with the aim of convincing residents of the need for vaccination against the coronavirus. Persons may register — for getting vaccinated — online at beatcovid19.ai. The first batch of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine is scheduled to arrive in Anguilla, from the UK, during the first week of February.
Staff Reporter, James R. Harrigan
