ST. EUSTATIUS–The Moderna vaccine arrived in St. Eustatius Friday onboard an SXM Airways aircraft. The plane was given a water cannon salute by the fire department as it taxied in on the runway.
Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij and Deputy Commissioner Alida Francis will be among the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Together with a number of key stakeholders they will receive the vaccine, as well as registered persons starting at 9:00am Monday at Earl N. Merkman sports hall.
Robert-Jan de Wilde of the office of the Dutch Representative in St. Maarten VNP, who is a liaison officer between the Netherlands and Statia was onboard the aircraft to make sure the vaccine was properly handed over to the Public Entity St. Eustatius.
Francis said that now that the vaccines have arrived on Statia, the next step in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic will be taken. “For the past year we have had quite a battle to contain this virus and now we will take it to the next level. We are quite aware that a number of persons are still waiting to see what happens. We hope that on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when people see for themselves that everything is okay, they will join this vaccination programme so that we can further help to keep our island and especially the most vulnerable among, us safe from the COVID-19 virus. We are a small island and we do not know how long the pandemic will last but one thing we know for sure, our island remains vulnerable and we do not have the medical facilities should there be a major outbreak of the virus.”
Van Rij said that currently 420 persons have registered to take the vaccine. He expects more people will register this weekend and the coming week.
Statia received 1,600 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which is enough for 800 people, as two doses are required for the vaccine to be effective.
“To those who are hesitating, make your decision as soon as possible,” Van Rij said, as there are still only 380 shots available. He encouraged persons who are hesitating to read up on research and to contact their house doctor. He cautioned not to listen too much to social media as this is not always the most reliable source of information. He encouraged persons to turn to a medical specialist if they have worries, concerns or questions.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/moderna-vaccine-arrives-in-statia
People of Statia, please care about each other. You can prevent your loved ones to get infected by you if you let yourself and them be vaccinated. Preserve Statia and the Statians, so get your vaccination!
Healthcare on the island indeed is not at the level it should be, but now there’s no time to better it enough to withstand a massive contamination with the virus.
Think about an island without Statians… that again could be colonized by… by who? Who wil survive? Only those with resistance to this virus. And beware, much more virii could come the next years!
The circus of the vaccination also has some shady sides. On Aruba and Bonaire government is telling that they want to vaccinate illegal immigrants also, but the Dutch government does not give vaccins for foreigners. So these governments of Aruba and Bonaire use vaccins that are reserved for own people to vaccinate illegal immigrants.
But that’s not all. There is enormous miscommunication between the government and the organizations that have contact with these aliens. And rumours already tell that large quantities of vaccins are planned to be missing and sold to Venezuela. Again the corruption got a chance.
If no direct interference and control by the Netherlands, then we lose a lot of vaccins.
If you compare Saba with Statia, you see that on Saba more than 1200 have registered and 1500 vaccins were received, because it is expected that almost all adults will get their vaccination. Statia with a much larger population has just 420 people registered. Bad work of the government.
We all know that the Dutch government interfered in democracy and still is doing so. Apparently the people of Statia see the vaccination also as something of the Netherlands, and therefore not good. And unfortunately, leaders of the people do not warn enough against this idea. Not the Dutch have invented Corona!
Please, wake up and go vaccinate!