PM Roosevelt Skerrit announced that 70,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for 35,000 people are scheduled to arrive to Dominica on Tuesday, February 9. The vaccines were donated by the Indian government after Skerrit appealed to them for help two weeks ago. China has also promised to give 20,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Dominica, while PAHO is also facilitating the provision of the vaccines to 20% of the population of the country.
Although Skerrit had revealed after a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in January that Dominica will acquire COVID-19 vaccines by March, the drugs are arriving far ahead of that time.
“The Government of India has made a grant donation of 70,000 doses [of the Covid-19 vaccine]; that would be for 35,000 people because there will be double doses,” Skerrit said. “We expect the vaccines to land in Dominica tomorrow, Tuesday and it will be left to the Ministry of Health.”
The prime minister said that the government will not make COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for Dominicans, but urged as many as are willing to be vaccinated to visit the Ministry of Health for vaccination. He said he will be getting inoculated as soon as the drugs are available in the country, and added that it is best for everyone to get vaccinated.
Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Laura Esprit, said getting inoculated will protect the entire country from the deadliness of the coronavirus pandemic and from the risks of transmission.
“When we get vaccinated, we are not just protecting ourselves, but also those around us, reducing the spread of the disease,” she said. “The Covid-19 vaccine is expected to help your immune system to identify and fight the virus.”
Esprit said the health ministry will first be vaccinating 26% of the entire population and this amounts to 18,000 people. The groups for this priority target include frontline healthcare workers which are about 1,000 persons; law enforcement officials who are about 600 persons; people with chronic diseases which total over 7,500 persons; and then the elderly aged 65 and above which equal about 8,900 people.
Top government officials and foreign ambassadors have also been pegged at 100 persons for inoculation.
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