Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says he would be saddened and pained if Vincentians do not take the COVID-19 vaccine.
“… It would sadden me greatly; it would pain me enormously if our people don’t take the vaccine because there is no scientific reason not to take the vaccine and the history and experience of vaccines contribute to our wellbeing,” he said on WE FM on Sunday.
Gonsalves noted the impact of the measles, mumps, rubella, polio and yellow fever vaccines.
“It’s one thing to raise questions, it’s another to go down a road of scepticism and anti-vax,” he said in his latest attempt to counter the impact of anti-vaxxers.
Gonsalves’ comments came one day before St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) received 40,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine Covishield (Indian) AstraZeneca from the Government of India.
In early February, after “prayerful consideration” the prime minister took his first dose of the Sputnik-V vaccine and is scheduled to take his second dose on Tuesday.
Gonsalves said that SVG would probably need another 50,000 vaccines in addition to some 85,600 that the country will receive, including those from COVAX.
The prime minister said that his government is looking to vaccinate between 65,000 and 75,000 persons 18 years and older.
“… we would want to make sure everyone over 18 would take the vaccine, save and except for a one or two here, which the doctors may tell them don’t take it yet…”
He said these persons might include those undergoing chemotherapy and other medical treatment.
“The quicker we do our vaccination, the quicker we return to normalcy. That’s why last week I tell you that my focus immediately is about jabs and jobs. We take the vaccine and we get back to normalcy…” the prime minister said.
He said it was “quite an achievement” for a small country like SVG to be getting vaccines in these quantities that it is getting.
“… we had to do a lot of very nimble work and I am hoping that we don’t have a situation where we have the vaccines and then people don’t take the vaccines…” Gonsalves said.
The Health Services Sub-Committee of the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) had a working session on Saturday and the vaccination programme is being rolled out in a big way.
There will be vaccines at all the clinics and persons are going to be able to walk in and get one, the prime minister said.
Vaccination will also be done at Victoria Park.
Further, health officials are going to target specific groups, including teachers and police officers.
“… they are going to do Ministry by Ministry for the public servants,” Gonsalves said.
“It is going to be done in a thoroughly national manner. I don’t think there is anybody in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, unless they are living under the metaphoric stone who hasn’t heard that vaccines are coming and that the ministry of health is urging them to take the vaccine.”
He noted that there are “always other messages by other persons”, a reference to anti-vaxxers.
“It’s amazing that some persons are going to take time out to listen to individuals who are not competent or trained in this particular area and give greater weight to what the sceptics would say or anti-vaxxers.”
He said that there are countries that are talking about a COVID passport, meaning that persons would not be allowed entry unless they have had a COVID-19 vaccine.
He said the vaccine prevents people from requiring hospitalisation because of COVID-19 “and it cuts almost 100% the chance that you would die from it”.
“Well, I would say that for those reasons alone, it’s important that you take the vaccine. And then, of course, the evidence is emerging that it reduces the extent of the transmission that you could get,” he said.
Gonsalves said he has not had any reaction to his first dose of the vaccine but noted that some persons can have a slight headache for up to 24 hours.
He said that considering all the sources from which the government is expecting to get a vaccine, “we will have more than enough for what you may call the immediate phase of the vaccination campaign”.
Gonsalves said that within a year people will have to be vaccinated again, because the efficacy is for about a year.
“And this will become a normal part of life… So we have to also look to the future with the sources for more of the vaccines,” he said.
If it was so difficult for him to make the decision, why would he be upset if anyone else decides NOT TO get it?
Will we also be allowed to get the Sputnik-V, or do we NOT GET A CHOICE and be forced to take one of Bill Gates EXPERIMENTAL vaccines? There seems to be NO REPORTS of problems with the Sputnik-V, but the “Western” vaccines have caused so many people to have serious permanent disabilities as well as death.
The decision will be easier if we have a choice to take the Sputnik-V, as the PM did, but at this time, why get vaccinated because we will still have to wear a mask and still quarantine, etc… NOTHING CHANGES IF WE DO!…SO WHAT IS THE POINT TO GET VACCINATED?… Unless you think you are going to die if you get the virus. Consider that if you have major health issues or are very elderly, you can die from Covid but at the same time if you are healthy, AND HAVE NO HEALTH ISSUES, you can die from the vaccine!
Be aware that there are some incidences where people fall sick, (and some die) after taking the “Western” vaccines but the ailments and deaths are attributed to some other cause.
Strange that the opposite is true with the Virus itself. If someone is terribly injured in a car accident or is hospitalized after a stroke, or anything else, and they have Covid antibodies, they always attribute the death to Covid!
Guess he’ll be PAINED!
It is each citizen’s right to decide whether they are going to take the vaccine.
We’re not going to do it, simply based on how the PM feels about the issue!
*rolls eyes profusely*
Here is an article from today about DEATH from our SVG AstraZenea vaccine:
https://www.rt.com/news/517423-korea-vaccine-deaths-rise/
Austria has now banned AstraZeneca because of deaths of young and healthy people. The percentage may be about 1% but the percentage of those dying from Covid below the age of 70 is far lower than 1%. Anyone can figure that out!
South Korea is also now reporting death from the Astra Vaccine. I hear that the Pfizer vaccine has blocking elements in it that probably will increase those that take it of getting cancer.
Now Russia is coming out with a new vaccine that stops all strains of Covid!…That is all the latest on vaccines in the world.
Ralph Gonsalves, you should personally take all the vaccines for Vincentians.
Covid19 is a political virus to create a TECHNOCRACY, and whoever controls the technology becomes GOD.
They want you, to continue to take vaccines and more vaccines, to take you to the great beyond, before the GOOD and GREAT LORD is ready fro you.
How much monies were you promised, RALPH?
How much monies, did the IMF offer to you, also, as a part of the GREAT RESET?
Please tell the public about the vaccines delivered and supplied, and administered to VINCENTIANS in 1979!
I take note Kenton that you have failed, refused, and or neglected to publish some of my previous comments on other published articles.
Kenton, the PHARAOH leader cannot harm you, in anyway.
I am very fearless and courageous.
I shall NOT and shall never surrender and or waive my believes now, and or in the future.
Ricardo Francis, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Waiting and in the Making
What does this sound like people of Svg? Without it, no travel, no food, no anything until you accept it. Read your bible watch and pray the wicked are encircling the world, hold your ground say no because your soul is at stake.
Why were you not saddened and pained when some vincies were told to own the jobs? when bassy daughter was denied a job and had to go abroad? when it was said that some people must suffer and die? when. it was said jah kill them with diseases? the three teachers, bigger bigs, ? ugee and her ordeal? the police woman miss Andrews to mention a few, . evil and wicked people. ar yo dying days go tell on ar yo.
There are actually very few anti-vax people on Earth. Those that are PRO SAFETY are called anti-vx. It is just a way to make them feel guilty and get coerced into GOING ALONG WITH THE CROWD!
It is going to be interesting to see how many people our PM can cause to GO ALONG WITH AN unsafe ACT OF WEAKNESS AND STUPIDITY against their own intuition.
[…]
Kahshe Angels
Choice is both individual and collective as “no man is an Island”, we live in community.
We have an individual and collective responsibility with our decision. So whether you decide to take the vaccine or not to take the vaccine you exercise both responsibilities and every decision has it’s consequence(s) – positive or negative.
As a group of people less than 150,000 (Vincentian living in SVG) we must consider the impact of the virus on the global scale and the best information and intervention available to our human race at this time. God give man wisdom to make choices and if we make bad choices we will have to accept the consequences of those choices – why should we allow ourselves to face the impact of this virus when we have the option of a vaccine?
Remember the woman who went to the river to wash her clothes and sat all day for God to come and help her but she did nothing – let us be wise and help ourselves because God have given us the power of choices.
I had my first dose of the vaccine on the 20 January 2021 and with God’s grace I am having a second dose in April 2021.
The bible tell us in the last days men shall worship the creation than the creator and all we hearing about is scientists and not God
Alledgedly, many thousands of permanent effects and many deaths from the same vaccine we are getting in SVG:
Wolf! Wolf! Pm, thats what you get when you politise important matters affecting the lives of people. The wolf is here. Guess no one else is around. You may be alone. So much for the brightest politician in the Caribbean.