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ASTRAZENECA VACCINES
HEALTH MATTERS
On Wednesday, Feb. 10, Minister for Health, Hon. Nickolas Steele, received on behalf of the Government of Grenada the first 1000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, to be administered to 500 front line workers.
The AstraZeneca vaccine or Covishield is manufactured in India. It was made available through the initiative of Prime Minister of Barbados, the Hon. Mia Mottley, who coordinated the delivery of some of her country’s first batch of vaccines to OECS countries.
Hon. Steele said this particular vaccine is one of the front runners among those already produced and has been approved for use in the United Kingdom and the European Union. The vaccine also meets the criteria that Grenada has identified for selection. He said, “The first 1000, then later on today or tomorrow we’ll have another 5000 doses and then in a couple of weeks we will have 40, 000 doses once we see all processes through, then we will see more coming in until we get to that critical amount of about 60, 000 individuals in Grenada receiving the vaccine.”
The receiving party included Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shawn Charles, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Francis Martin and Dr. George Mitchell, member of the COVID-19 Response Committee.
They all made statements that reaffirmed Grenada’s capacity to store the vaccines and the importance of it being administered in the fight against the virus.
Hon Steele said Wednesday, February 10, marks the beginning of the light at the end of the tunnel where we hope to see the end to the COVID-19 threat that we have been surviving and dealing with to date. “This vaccine is one that our current system is fully capable of accommodating and distributing using all of the current storage facilities and distribution mechanisms that we’ve been using over the years for all of the vaccines. This one requires normal temperature for storage that is between two to eight degrees and it will go a long way in assisting us in making it available throughout the country,” Dr, Martin said. “I am quite happy and pleased that we are at this juncture, because now we’ll be able to get our persons vaccinated and hopefully help our lives to return to normal and hopefully also help in the general administration of health, to be able to get back to some level of normalcy; helping to open our economy. So, it is a very pleasant moment for me having been there from the start of COVID to now.”
Dr. Mitchell also shared his thoughts on the recent development, saying, “Vaccines is not anything that is unusual to us. We’ve been vaccinated from day one and by all public health standards vaccination has saved the most lives with all public health measures that has been taken throughout the world.”
The vaccine was transported by the Regional Security System (RSS) plane.
Sour Serpent Retains Independence Monarch Title
Sean Niles, the Sour Serpent, has retained the Independence Monarch title for the second consecutive year with a selection titled “Vaccine Nation”.
Because of COVID-19 protocols, the competition which was held on Friday, Feb. 5, at the National Cricket Stadium was broadcast live via a virtual stage.
Niles, who performed in position number four, spoke with the GIS after being crowned on stage by Minister for Culture and the Arts, Hon. Yolande Bain-Horsford.
He said, “The conceptualization is all about Serpent - it’s all about me. I am Mr. Creative, Mr. Composition and it is not in a ‘braggadocios’ way, but that’s who I am. You always find something out of the ordinary for me because nine calypsonians sang and I proved tonight that I’m a different calypsonian and that is what the art form needs.” na, who performed his selection “I Pledge” in position number nine; third Sheldon Douglas, with his delivery of the “Recipe for Building This Nation” and Anthony Darius, “Young Sound”, who has returned to competition after a ten-year break, in position number four, with his song “Rebuilding Together”.
Niles welcomed the opportunity provided by the National Celebrations Committee.
He said, “First of all, I appreciate the efforts by the organizers and the planning committee. I don’t think you should call it a Dimanche Gras or so, but it could be a virtual calypso competition around the same time you have the carnival, but it will be welcomed because Calypsonians are dying to ply the trade to showcase their art. So, I would welcome it.”
The National Cultural extravaganza was held on Saturday, Feb. 6, and the Military Parade on Sunday, Feb. 7.
