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WEDNESDAY 3RD MARCH 2021 | ISSUE 198 | WWW.POINTVILLE.AG VACCINATION EXERCISE GOING WELL! SEE PAGE 4 Photo Caption: Senior unable to walk were vaccinated in motor vehicles Editorial: Carpe Diem! PAGE 2 PAGE 2 WEDNESDAY 3RD MARCH 2021 EDITORIAL Carpe Diem! The rollout of the na- cial and conventional within our country, way to achieving herd tion’s COVID-19 vacci- media. There were vo- a very small section, immunity and this will nation programme is ciferous protestations who have very big allow for the reopening now truly on the way regarding vaccines in mouths and they use of the country’s econ- and by all indications, general and COVID-19 any and every means omy, particularly the the response by the vaccines in particular, necessary to get their heartbeat tourism in- people of Antigua and and some were given voices heard. However, dustry. Barbuda has been im- popular platforms to the overwhelming re- pressive. spread misinforma- sponse to the vaccine We accept that there tion, lies, and innuen- proves that Antiguans are certain challenges Members of the coun- dos. It was a sad day and Barbudans have since the roll-out of the try’s Executive led by when one of the prin- no appetite to buy into vaccine started, and example and were fol- cipals of a media house this kind of base rhet- this was to be expect- lowed by members of attempted to justify oric to our own detri- ed. As time goes by, the the Lower and Upper its facilitation of the ment. The people of kinks will be ironed out Houses of Parliament. spread of misinforma- Antigua and Barbu- and we can guarantee What is heartening is tion in the name of free da should collectively that the programme that the usual parti- speech. The idea that pat themselves on the will run smoothly and san political bicker- everyone who has an back. It is stinging re- efficiently. We have ev- ing was put aside for idea should be heard pudiation of anti-intel- ery confidence in the the national good. It has to have some lim- lectualism. professionals within is a clear indication its, lest it leads to our the Ministry of Health that this is a fight that downfall. For example, To illustrate this point, who ought to be com- has no political, racial, good reader, would one only has to look at mended for their hard ethnic, age, or gender you permit someone the photos and videos work, sacrifice and bias. COVID-19 affects on a radio station that of the different centres dedication to the peo- all and it therefore re- you operate who is in- where the COVID-19 ple of Antigua and Bar- quires a unified re- structing others how to vaccine is being ad- buda. sponse for this dreaded construct bombs? ministered. In addi- disease to be defeated. tion, numbers do not What is necessary now What is being demon- lie. On Tuesday alone, is that the early mo- From the very onset, strated by the impres- the number of persons mentum that the vac- we at PointeXpress sive response of the who were adminis- cination programme have been relentless general public to the tered the Oxford-Astra- has witness must be in encouraging the call to take the vaccine Zeneca jab was nearly seized. As the Latin ex- general public to look is something we at two thousand. Impres- pression goes, “Carpe beyond the brouhaha PointeXpress have al- sive! This is excellent diem!” Seize the day! and the tantrums be- ways suspected: there news as it says that the We cannot allow com- ing displayed on so- is a minority section country is well on the placency to set in and Cont’d on pg 3 WEDNESDAY 3RD MARCH 2021 LOCAL NEWS PAGE 3 lose that momentum of infomercials regard- day to do anything to get registered. Call since the import- ing COVID-19. Again, as tomorrow is never your friend in the oth- ant task has only just we say in the vein promised. Therefore, er village and tell them started. As a nation, of the noted Roman use today to register if that the time is right to we have to be relent- poet Horace, “Carpe you have not done so get registered. Do not less with the messag- diem, quam minimum as yet. Register all in wait a minute more. ing, and ABS Televi- credula postero.” Seize your household who It is with a sense of duty sion and Radio must today, do not trust to- are eighteen years and and pride that we at be commended for the morrow. The idea is older. Call your neigh- PointeXpress say to the number and frequency that today is the best bour and tell them nation: Carpe diem! Two more COVID-19 deaths Antigua and Barbuda the best efforts of MS- 2021 in respiratory dis- some people have been is coping with the news JMC’s care team both tress and clinical signs able to shift their jobs to that two males are the patients succumbed of COVID-19. Follow- their homes, thousands latest victims to have to the infection. “If you ing hospital admission of workers have jobs succumbed to com- don’t do everything guidelines, the patient that cannot be done at plications related to possible to minimize was tested for COVID-19 home—and these work- COVID-19. spread (of the virus), prior to admission. This ers leave their homes A statement from the then you are contrib- test returned a positive every day to help main- Mount St John’s Med- uting to the spread and result, and the patient tain a semblance of ical Centre (MSJMC) prolonging the amount has been undergoing normalcy for others, at said the men died a day of time in which our treatment since then great risk to themselves apart; one death (that of hospital will have more which included pro- and their families.” an eighty-five-year-old) patients - more than longed ventilator sup- Added the Medical Di- happened on Monday we can safely handle,’’ port. Despite our best rector, “As a member of at 11:34 a.m., while the continued the Medi- efforts, the patient died the hospital’s leadership other (a sixty-seven- cal Director, “The con- this morning 1st March who leads a team of es- year-old) died at 12:02 sequences of this will 2021 at 8:20 a.m.,” the sential workers, I think a.m. on Tuesday. affect anyone and ev- earlier MSJMC state- I speak for many of us “I want to again ex- eryone who needs hos- ment said. when I say –although press my deepest pital-level care. It’s not “Our hospital mourns grateful, we would sympathies to the fam- just those with COVID. I the passing of this es- take less thank you for ilies who have been urge everyone to be re- sential worker,” said Dr. more mask wearing. We plunged into grief in sponsible.” This latest Albert Duncan MSJMC would be ok with less these particularly dif- announcement from Medical Director. “Our lauding, if it means that ficult circumstances,”MSJMC comes as the thoughts and prayers people are adhering to said Dr. Albert Dun- hospital revealed on go out to her family and safety protocols. If the can, MSJMC Medical Monday that an essen- her colleagues at this current trajectory con- Director. According to tial worker diagnosed time.” tinues and we don’t gain the statement, both with COVID-19 has died “A grateful nation has control of this urgently, men were admitted from illnesses related to watched and right- it will become harder to the hospital (on the the disease. ly praised healthcare to bring under control. 23rd February and 5th “The patient, a fifty- workers for their hero- This pandemic requires February 2021 respec- three-year-old female, ic work. But essential us to work together to tively) in severe respi- was admitted to the work extends beyond bring it under control ratory distress. Despite hospital on 24th January health care. Although urgently.” PAGE 4 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY 3RD MARCH 2021 Nearly two thousand vaccinated on day two Sir Novelle Richards velopment and he said Academy – 622; Multi- he feels very confident purpose Cultural Cen- that this target can be tre – 422; and Glan- achieved,” Marketing ville Polyclinic – 270. and Communications Vaccination was also Officer for the Medical done for workers at Benefits Scheme, Dr. the Antigua Port Au- Janelle Charles-Wil- thority where over two liams reported. hundred employees re- She also expressed ceived their doses. deep appreciation for Organizers say they are the work being done quite pleased with the by nurses as part of the turn-out by residents exercise. “The nurses as it is an indication have been going the ex- that they are paying tra mile to ensure that heed to the advice of everyone who presents the Ministry of Health himself/herself to be and other senior gov- vaccinated receives a ernment officials re- dose. We have said that garding the necessity the last person will be for as many people as allowed to join the line possible to be vaccinat- at 3:30 p.m. but I was at ed to halt the spread of Multipurpose Centre the deadly virus. on Tuesday afternoon “The Ministry of up to after 5:00 o’clock Health is quite pleased and the nurses were ulate about eighty per with the uptick in the still at their stations Nearly two thousand cent of the population number of people pre- administering the vac- people were vaccinat- within sixty days.