The President of Dominica His Excellency Charles Savarin today became the first person on the island to be given the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The President received the vaccine this morning (February 12, 2021), at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. His wife was the given the jab immediately afterwards.
Moments after taking the shot, President Savarin encouraged fellow Dominicans to take the vaccine, noting that it “will assist in our fight against the pandemic.”
“I hope everybody else in Dominica will do the same. I know there are few who have some misgivings about vaccinations, but they are not new,” he said. “We’ve been vaccinated against polio, against smallpox, and vaccinated against several epidemics and pandemics, so I would urge all Dominicans to take advantage of this opportunity to increase the immunity of the population against Covid-19.”
The President thanked the Government of India, who just this week, donated 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Dominica and commended Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit who has since gifted 5000 doses of the vaccine to Antigua and Barbuda with donations to Grenada, St. Lucia, and other OECS countries, to follow.
“We are an island but we are not isolated nor are we immune from what is happening in the rest of the region and while we would like to see herd immunity here in Dominica, our safety will depend on herd immunity in the region, Barbados and the OECS,” Savarin remarked. “I believe that the efforts being made here in Dominica of the sharing of resources with the rest of the OECS will help us in managing more effectively and efficiently this pandemic and hopefully in the short run create herd immunity in the OECS.”
Health Minister, Dr. Irvin Mc Intyre and Parliamentary Secretary, Kent Edwards, were also among other officials to receive the COVID-19 vaccine today as part of a roll-out of the vaccination program in Dominica.
Prime Minister Skerrit announced earlier this week that the rollout process would begin on the 22 of February, however, a memo sent from the Chief Medical Officer (AG) Dr. Laura Esprit, dated February 11, 2021, indicated that the administration of the vaccination would begin today.
The memo requested that all priority groups, including health care workers, police officer, customs and immigration officers, port authority personnel, as well as COVID-certified taxi drivers who have already decided to take the vaccine, make themselves available for administration from 11:am to 3:00 pm today.
This process is expected to continue in the days ahead.
where the PM? He doh taking his own? LAst time he say, “i will be the first to take the vaccine, IF MY GOVERNMENT PERMITS ME”. Now he sending minister of health and president and his wife first?
awa wi doctor.
Where is our stimulus packages?? Pouchee say vaccine ou vlay metey ah borda nou??
Only time will tell as there are no proven safe or effective vaccines. Think I’m wrong? Show me the long term independent studies of any vaccine which were done by an independent company over a period of 20 yrs. If a vaccine was effective, you would only need 1 shot and never get the condition that it was for. Think about it.
I have never, ever seen a medical personnel dealing with needles, with no gloves
I have never seen a medical personnel dealing with needles and no gloves, papamet.
I heard that Dominica was considering helping other Caricom Countries – other than Antigua and Barbuda, to which they gave 5,000 doses. I hope that this is not true.
The other countries can apply for vaccine from Norway as follows:
The Norwegian Embassy
25 Belgrave Square
Belgravia
London
SW1X
8QD
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 0044 207 591 550
We must loom after our citizens first.
Notice all ministers and the President and His wife are getting vaccinated first.
What about other people in DA
Allu ppl DA no nothing soft, negative set of ppl.
Allu wanted to see him n d PM take it, now he is taking it allu talking bout his belly and the doctor not wearing gloves.
I see that the health care workers, police officer, customs and immigration officers, port authority personnel, as well as COVID-certified taxi drivers are getting priority vaccinations. Can we assume that the staff and personnel of the sixty plus COVID-certified guesthouses and accommodation providers who offer quarantine facilities will soon be offered the same chance?
Everyone should get vaccinated. I’ve received my 2 Pfizer jabs, perfectly fine. We have no other way out this situation. People are ready to go back to work.
These gentlemen stay in the comfort of their cribs, remain dumb, while Mr. Skerrit beats the country into a pulp.
They now venture out in public for an opportunistic photo. No wonder obesity is getting the better of the reclusive President.
4 complete COONU,Bwa Banday,ken,Concerned and as usual Pipo.Typical UWP waste of time,lying and lazy.
Not me na….i see that thgs turning ppl like horse braying….old ppl fraid to take that…that doe ready yet 4 human….i have some donkeys to try on stilll…let d whole cabinet and family take it…they have much to loose….
But Kent Edwards fraid needles man
Correction Ma Savarin
Did that statement that other islands in the region will be given vaccine mean that Skerritt plans to continue what he knows best begging and give to those other islands?dont those people being paid by the tax payers know to beg like he does,so they could go to an air port with an elaborate useless speech as he did for publicity ?
Eh eh but how comes Charlo belly big so nuh? Life must be really good at the STATE HOUSE papa. So no doctor in Dca can tell the man as head of state a Big belly so does not bode well for country as it relates to health? SMMFH
Why is the medical person administering vaccines without wearing gloves???
Can’t you see they’re wearing masks? That’s all that matters.
dont be a jack ***… by right….. and her profession ..wearing gloves is mandatory
Oh, and why they telling you to wash your hands all the time then. You really are a sprat.
Because it’s a show…they ain’t taking nor giving vaccine….
But I thought the pm say is he first. Show down camp that there them people ain’t taking vaccine..it’s not what de send they taking trust me…
That’s how we know it fake.
Because is water they injecting there.
Why should the person wear gloves?
Gloves are not required for simple injections. There is no significant blood exposure, and provided the person washes his or her hands, no significant risk of infecting the patient. That is considered best medical practice, and is the general standard of care.
Becuz it’s fake. Can’t u see..it’s not the real vaccine
Good for you mr. President. Perhaps you can persuade the PM and his wife to do the same, like you and your wife, in public and using the same vaccine. That would set a good example and restore some confidence in his leaders which is badly lacking.
Boy Charlo how can I get your job sitting down and doing nothing and getting big salary and free food- It shows clearly !!!!