BEGINS

NEWS RELEASE

Over 300 Persons Vaccinated During First Week of Rollout in the TCI 

The Turks and Caicos Islands successfully began the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Cheshire Hall Medical Center on Providenciales on Monday January 11, 2021.

The first batch of vaccinations included a cross section of persons from across the Turks and Caicos including His Excellency Governor Nigel and Mandy Dakin, Premier Honorable Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams and Minister of Education Honorable Karen Malcolm; joined by CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands Hospitals Dr. Denise Braithwaite and private family medical practitioner Dr. Joe Bowden; Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting; President of the TCI Kidney Foundation Leon Wilson; representative of the TCI Cancer Society Lucille Lightbourne; local historian William “Bill” Clare; representative of the Clergy Pastor Steve Cornwall and representatives of the Haitian and Dominican communities Pastor Alces Dor and Vice President of the Dominican Consulate in the TCI Candido Moreno.

A total of 344 persons have been vaccinated in the TCI to date.  This includes over 150 healthcare workers, 75 persons in the category of elderly, chronic non-communicable diseases and additional persons in frontline and other areas.   

A total of 269 persons have been vaccinated thus far in Providenciales and 75 persons in Grand Turk; with the intention to roll the program out to the other islands over the course of the next few weeks.

Vaccinations in Grand Turk included: Minister of Health Honorable Edwin Astwood; Attorney General Honorable Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles; Permanent Secretary of Health Desiree Lewis and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nadia Astwood; along with key representatives of the community, 94 year old WWII veteran James “Bobby” Fulford; Prison, Police and other frontline staff along with members of the community and clergy.

Commenting on the vaccination program thus far Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson said; “I wish to thank those who responded positively to the call to lead on such an important national plan to vaccinate against the COVID-19 virus. As Premier I felt it important to participate so as to encourage us to take this vital step for our families, our country and ourselves. We have seen vaccinations used over many years to promote national public health goals and this is no different. There is no current scientific evidence that  this virus will leave us any time soon and so it is important to see this as one of our best defenses against the spread of the infection. This gives us our very best chance to regain greater control of our lives and country. By taking the vaccine, we can each act individually to achieve our national public health goal and set our country on some path towards normalcy.”

Governor Nigel Dakin said; “An excellent start. In the first week we’ve touched multiple members of society: health workers, the elderly, those with underlying conditions, police, prison, pastors, Turks Islanders, Haitians and Dominicans. The portal to allow all to now register goes active Friday January 15th, 2021. Those with serious need will be prioritized, but this vaccine is for all in TCI who are resident here and who want it. If we all embrace the opportunity it will make us not only a regional but a world leader. The opportunity for us to be one of the safest destinations in the world, almost before all others, is not an opportunity for us to waste!”

ENDS