Residents who contract Omicron variant will help move country toward herd immunity, Browne says

Once again, Prime Minister Gaston Browne is  discussing herd immunity,  saying, this time, he is optimistic that it can be reached by July.

Last year, 2021, Browne set at least two deadlines by which he hoped to reach that state; but it did not materialize.

Now, he says that some unvaccinated persons will contract the highly transmissible Omicron virus, and this will enable them to build up immunity.  

In addition to the almost 60,000 people who have been inoculated, he says, this factor will propel the country toward herd immunity.

However, Browne is asking residents not to become complacent and contract the virus, although it is not as deadly as the Delta variant.

Meanwhile… The country’s active COVID-19 cases are again under the 1,000 mark, even with 25 new lab-confirmed cases being reported by the Ministry of Health.

According to the report for Wednesday, January 12, active infections now number 985, since 65 recovered cases were recently recorded. 

There are nine hospitalizations, five of which are moderate and four mild. 

According to the Ministry, there was another COVID-19 related death recorded at Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, increasing the overall total to 121.  

The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Antigua and Barbuda is now 5,346.