HURST REPORTS ON CABINET of Wednesday October 6 2021
The Cabinet began its consultations at about 10:30 am and concluded at 4:00 pm. Three members were absent and three members chose virtual means; all others participated face-to-face.
- The Cabinet invited the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Health Inspector and the Director of Education to participate in its policy-making pertaining to the management of Covid, eliciting advice and guidance on the critical issues controlling. The driving approach going forward emphasizes vaccination of the residents and citizens of Antigua and Barbuda. Those who choose to be vaccinated are acting wisely to protect themselves and their loved-ones. Those who persist in remaining un-vaccinated are assuming a level of risk that is dangerous to themselves and to their loved-ones. Many un-vaccinated residents and citizens are likely to fall sick and will require hospitalization and could possibly face death.
1.i. The Cabinet agreed that the vaccination program has definitely had an impact on the slowing of the disease and consumption of the most desirable drugs, such that the stocks of AstraZeneca and Pfizer are very close to exhaustion; they are being supplemented immediately by contributions from St. Vincent and Dominica, until a re-supply from the source countries arrives.
1.ii. Thus far more than 43,000 men, women and youth (12-17) years have received two doses; and, more than 10,000 have received their first dose. Consequently more than 60% of the targeted populations have been vaccinated. There is, as a consequence, every reason to relax many of the restrictions that have governed over the past months. The Cabinet decided to:
- Move the curfew to 11:00 pm; therefore, curfew is from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am daily, effective October 15, 2021.
- Re-open beaches from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm daily starting on Friday, October 8;
- Permit pleasure craft and other sea-going vessels to commence operation providing they abide the Covid-19 protocols on board, and all crew and patrons are vaccinated.
- Delay the reopening of Primary Schools for another two weeks; Secondary Schools with 100% vaccinated students and 100% vaccinated teachers, staff and ancillary staff may continue to function.
- Undertake next week, a review to determine when Bars can reopen and under what conditions; the operators of Bars and the patrons visiting bars must all be fully vaccinated, and the fine to be imposed on operators who allow unvaccinated people will be: $5,000 on the bar owner, and $1000 on the patron. The Central Board of Health (CBH) will be strengthening its enforcement capability by adding six inspectors who will be trained from the work program to add to the CBH phalanx of enforcers.
- Allow restaurants to return to dining-in and continued take-out, effective Friday 15 October, 2021.
- Allow gyms to re-open for vaccinated operators and patrons only, requiring the operators to rely upon the show of cards by their patrons—either the temporary or permanent cards—to gain entry; the gyms are limited by the Covid protocols that have already been established by CBH, and may not exceed the number agreed-to earlier; further, should inspectors discover unvaccinated patrons and operators present in the gym, the fines which apply to bars above will also be applied to gyms.
2.i. Cabinet agreed to establish a Board to review exemptions for students; it will consist of a pediatrician, a general practitioner, an attorney and chaired by the Director of Education.
2.ii. The Ecclesiastical Commission was also invited to Cabinet to address the issue of attendance at church and vaccination of their congregants. It was agreed that the constitutional guarantees of freedom of conscience and religion would leave each church free to move its congregation to offer bilateral engagements with parishioners.
- Churches may recommence regular worship services by reliance on the Covid protocols, established and agreed by CBH, determined by the maximum number of worshipers allowed. Funerals and weddings taking place in Churches may also allow as many as the capacity agreed-to by the CBH. Feast houses and wakes continue to be limited to the numbers agreed-to with the CBH, excluding the Officials and Technicians.
- Cabinet members informed the executive body of the number of employees in their Ministry’s many bodies who received vaccinations during the September 20 to 30 two-week period; and, the numbers that have not returned to work after September 30. The number of workers returning to work vaccinated exceed 50% of the un-vaccinated, in all instances. The Cabinet therefore determined that the effort at mandating vaccination of public workers was a success. At least ten thousand additional adults and youth (12-17 years) have become vaccinated between September 20 and 30, with an average of 1,000 individuals per day. Cabinet therefore extrapolated that community-immunity can be fully achieved before November 30th and, therefore, the opening-up of the economy can immediately begin.
- The Director of Education informed that the training of substitute teachers has gone very well and that they will be paid a flat fee for three months, or up until December 31, 2021, to be deployed as the Director of Education sees fit.
- The Cabinet agreed that it will meet with the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers at Cabinet’s next meeting on Wednesday 13 October 2021.
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Well I can see that GASTON AND HIS BAND OF MERRY-MEN & WOMEN have acknowledged the political heat that began with their ILL-ADVISED POLICY TO FORCE PEOPLE TO VACCINATE.
Melford Nicholas did say that “having done what they feel right, if the ECONOMY (MONEY) comes back in 2022 AND THE PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER WHAT THEY (the government) did to them (THROW TEAR-GAS ON THEM AND FORCE THEM TO TAKE SOMETHING INTO THEIR BODY THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE) then they will accept losing their respective constituencies.
He even said they SWORE THIS TO THEIR ALMIGHTY LEADER (GASTON).
Well, it seems as if the plan has moved forward into 2021 so I CONCLUDE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO GET A JUMP ON THE SITUATION to try and retain government.
My people, I want to encourage everyone to FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS AND IF IT IS YOUR CHOICE, TAKE THE VACCINE.
GOD gives all of us a choice and he tells us that we will have to accept the consequences (good or bad).
In my opinion, GASTON AND HIS BAND OF MERRY-MEN & WOMEN flew in the face of God. Who the hell they think they are?
Also, some church leaders have shown who they really are.
I APPLAUD MR. JAMES LUKE AND STAN “MEGATRON’ RICHARDS.
I want to encourage the ‘Freedom Fighters’ to NEVER ALLOW THE ELECTORATE TO FORGET WHAT THE POLICE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS A.B.L.P. GOVERNMENT did to you on Sunday 8th August 2021 (U.P.P. STAY OUT of this one).
Workers of this country, NEVER FORGET THAT GASTON BROWNE AND HIS BAND OF MERRY-MEN & WOMEN forced some of us to put something into our body IN ORDER FOR US NOT TO STARVE AND DIE (along with our family members who depends on us).
As we REMEMBER these things and keep them to the FRONT OF OUR MINDS, GASTON AND HIS BAND OF MERRY-MEN AND WOMAN can run and hide but ELECTION DAY MUST COME IN THIS COUNTRY and we will drive one ‘x’ against dem r**s.
Then the investigations WILL begin and the CHIPS WILL FALL WHERE THEY MAY.
Let us prove Gaston and his band of merry-men and woman WRONG.
Let us show them we can party while remembering all the time that we MUST VOTE DEM OUT OF GOVERNMENT.
Who writes this report? Please use words correctly!
#1. Phalanx :” a large group of people standing VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, usually for the purpose of defence or attack”
This article is full and of Antiguan maths, which do not add up. Decisions should be made using data; the key is that it must be good data. You can’t make a cake with pickle juice instead of milk. And you can’t manage a pandemic with bad data. There’s a reason Americans continue to be told by their government to stay away. They know the data is bad as well.
Good to see we are on track to meeting the vaccination needs of this country. Also in terms of the removal of restrictions its well noting the decision is based on reduced risks due to more persons being vaccinated. Sadly we have too many among us who prefer to ignore the fact that the unvaccinated more at risk to 1. Catch Covid (see Vaccinated people are less likely to spread Covid, new research finds, Oct. 1, 2021, 4:39 PM AST
By Akshay Syal, MD, NBC News) 2. Spread covid 3. Get seriously ill (10 times more likely) from covid (“Unvaccinated people were 11 times more likely to die of covid-19, CDC report finds”, By Lena H. Sun and Joel Achenbach
September 10, 2021, Wash. Post) 4 Die from covid 5. Put even the vaccinated at risk due to their creating a mutation in the future, that existing vaccines cannot handle.
Tenman,
Would you agree that there were less people catching COVID and almost no deaths before the vaccine for an entire year? Now comes the vaccine and everybody getting it and the death toll increased significantly. “A wha cudda cause that”. Tenman please respond.
Trying to compare original strain of Covid to Delta strain is like comparing tangerine to a naval orange. They are not the same and can’t be equally compared to one another.
With that said, I totally understand and support wanting right to choose. My family of 4 got swine flu vaccination back in 2008 and shortly thereafter my 7 year old son developed a stammer which has never gone away. All of us, but him, have gotten Covid vaccination. Note – none of us have had had adverse effects either but because of what happened with him I support his decision.
Overall the risk of the ill effects of vaccination is low, but if you are the 1% that does, it’s of little comfort. Conversely, if you choose not to get vaccinated, you must be willing to face good and bad of that decision. In my case, bearing testing/medical costs and possible loss of life. So bottom line- if shit hit fans you can’t complain, blame and expect others to try to bail you out so you don’t have to suffer physical and financial consequences of your decision – own your decisions!
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