Revellers are advised to get vaccinated ahead of Carnival, since post-festival surge in COVID-19 infections is expected
As the COVID-19 situation appears to be stabilizing, Health officials are advising residents who intend to take part in this year’s Carnival celebrations to get vaccinated.
The most recent dashboard put out by the Ministry of Health shows that the number of active cases is significantly lower than 100, with fewer than five hospitalized cases.
Minister of Health Molwyn Joseph is supporting the call for the youth, especially, to be inoculated, so they will not become deathly ill if they contract the COVID-19 virus during the festival.
With more than 100 fetes having been approved, Joseph believes that infections are likely to increase in the post-Carnival period, as happened after the Labour Day and Whit Monday holidays.
Therefore, he is also encouraging all those who qualify to receive their first and second boosters to get those shots.
According to Cabinet, “at least 7,000 more eligible people are to become vaccinated in the four weeks to the start of Carnival.” These would bring the country’s vaccination numbers to over 70,000.
At present, 62,031 residents are fully inoculated, while 2,060 are partially vaccinated.
The Government’s supply of the AstraZeneca vaccine is now exhausted, officials say, and a re-supply is being sought from partners who have demonstrated charity and goodwill in the past.
