{"id":129281,"date":"2021-05-19T21:09:06","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T01:09:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=129281"},"modified":"2021-05-20T08:20:04","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T12:20:04","slug":"pm-warns-of-possible-lockdown-hospitalisations-and-deaths-if-herd-immunity-is-not-achieved-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/pm-warns-of-possible-lockdown-hospitalisations-and-deaths-if-herd-immunity-is-not-achieved-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"PM warns of possible lockdown, hospitalisations and deaths if herd immunity is not achieved soon"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne has called on \u201cstubborn\u201d Antigua and Barbudans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 reiterating warnings that the government finances could collapse if the island fails to achieve herd immunity.<\/p>

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Speaking at the re-naming of the Mount St John\u2019s Medical Centre (MSJMC) on Tuesday night to that of the Sir Lester Bird Mount St John\u2019s Medical Centre, Prime Minister Browne urged citizens who are yet to be vaccinated to do so as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want you to understand the consequences of us not achieving herd immunity. I want you to understand that if the vaccination process continues to move at slow pace and within the next several weeks, we do not achieve herd immunity that we will be exposing this country to perhaps a thied and more deadly wave of COVID\u201d.<\/p>

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He warned that this new wave would result in possible lockdowns, more deaths and more hospitalisation.<\/p>

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Browne urged vaccinated persons to convince at least one hesitant person to get the jab, saying .that would help the country achieve 60 per cent immunity.<\/p>\n

He said failure to vaccinate the nation would result in a possible collapse of the tourism sector and further devastating the local economy.<\/p>

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\u201cHe warned that with borrowing options drying up, his administration is facing an enormous task to keep revenues afloat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe government is struggling to meet its obligations and the more the situation protracts, not only you will have significant hospitalisations and deaths, but there will come a time when the government will not be able to meet certain obligations including the payments of salaries and wages.<\/p>

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\u201cFor some reason our people seem not to be connection the dots. On a daily basis I get a report of the revenue intake and I can tell you that the revenue intake to me, in essence will be the worst for this year and getting worse.<\/p>

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\u201cBrowne urged citizens to take warnings from the regional counterparts who have greater confidence in the vaccines.<\/p>\n

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