By Caribbean News Global 
TORONTO, Canada – Vaccines save millions of lives each year. The more people who are vaccinated, the slower COVID-19 and variants will spread, saving lives. Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce the chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. Living in a neighborhood where people are not vaccinated, increases the exposure and possible mutations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new data on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant people and is recommending all people 12 years of age and older get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“If you allow the virus to freely circulate and not try and stop it, sooner or later there is a likelihood that you will get another variant that could, I’m not saying it will, but could be more problematic than the Delta,” Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Are people in the Caribbean becoming architects of their own destruction?
“COVID-19 remains a threat to human life as great as atrocities resulting from terrorism or war. The fact, that unlike leprosy, the disease is not obvious until it has ravaged its victims, only hides its lethal effects. All leaders of Caribbean societies, including politicians who want power, should put the well-being of their people and their countries first,” Sir Ronald Sanders.
Are people in the Caribbean becoming architects of their own destruction?
Dr Carissa F. Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), expressed concern about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Caribbean countries and made a strong appeal to people to get vaccinated. Speaking at her weekly media briefing, Dr Etienne, who is from Dominica, said, “I am truly very concerned about what is happening in the Caribbean” with people reluctant to get vaccines and relaxing their adherence to public health measures.
“So please, please, please take your vaccines and please wear your masks properly, social distance. I know the Caribbean people like to be close, and we like fetes, and we like to congregate, but please avoid congregation. Observe respiratory etiquette and wash your hands frequently.”
The United States is donating 5.5 million Pfizer vaccine doses along with ancillary kits to the 15 member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the US Department of State announced. “As part of this donation, a shipment consisting of nearly 569,000 doses will be delivered to Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago today, and to Barbados tomorrow.
“The United States is proud to partner with CARICOM and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This week’s deliveries are the first tranche of our 5.5 million dose commitment to all 15 CARICOM member countries, and we will provide more information on our donations to other CARICOM countries in the coming days. Equitable global access to safe and effective vaccines is essential to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to save lives around the world, rebuild the global economy, and stop the threat of new variants, we must vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.”
Canada to donate up to 10 million doses of Janssen vaccine to COVAX Facility
Karina Gould, minister of international development, and Anita Anand, minister of public services and procurement, on Thursday, announced that Canada intends to donate up to 10 million doses of the Janssen vaccine, which were secured through an advance purchase agreement, to other countries through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX). This would bring Canada’s total donations to the COVAX Facility to over 40 million doses.
Get Vaccinated: Save Lives
