PO Box 306625, St. Thomas, VI 00803 Step(34h0)e 99n8- 45A29., [email protected] m Editing 2 The Virgin Islands Daily News VIRGIN ISLANDS Tuesday, January 19, 2021 Health: Vaccine is not a ‘cure,’ masks are still needed By A.J. RAO cess in the body. government agencies and providers to Daily News Staff “For the overwhelming majority of ensure doses are available for those in “ patients and people in the community, Phase 1A and 1B groups. He added Getting a COVID-19 vaccination For the overwhelming majority of vaccines are safe and can prolong life, that VITEMA will be setting up hot- doesn’t mean you can ditch the face patients and people in the community, prevent death and improve the quality lines this week for the St. Thomas-St. mask or get out of travel restrictions. of life,” Hunte-Caesar said. John district and the St. Croix dis- So says Dr. Tai Hunte-Caesar, an vaccines are safe and can prolong life, While some may experience minor trict for seniors to more easily set up infectious disease specialist with the prevent death and improve the quality inflammatory side effects, like sore- appointment. V.I. Health Department, who recently ness, redness or body aches, the vast Health Department Immunization joined other health officials for a virtu- of life. majority of people will not experience Director Monife Stout said there is no al town hall meeting on the Pfizer and — Dr. Tai Hunte-Caesar anything, according to Hunte-Caesar. “out of pocket expense” to get a vac- Moderna vaccines. Of the roughly 3,369 doses adminis- cine, however, there may be an admin- While more than 3,000 doses have tered in the territory so far, no one has istrative fee of $16 to $30 for each dose. already been administered in the terri- strictions must continue even after a mitigation effort is when the global experienced a severe allergic reaction. “If you have insurance, your insur- tory, the vaccines are not a “cure,” but vaccination. case burden comes down … with herd Currently, the vaccine rollout plan is ance may be charged for that. But if rather a means to arm the body against Hunte-Caesar added that commu- immunity,” she said. in “Phase 1B,” which opens vaccina- you are uninsured or underinsured, you the virus, according to Hunte-Caesar. nity transmission will only go down That goal may be jeopardized by tions to senior citizens and individuals can contact Community Health on St. Indeed, those who are vaccinated can when vaccinations become more wide- certain myths about the vaccines and who regularly engage with the public, Thomas or St. Croix or the East End still be infected and asymptomatic and spread on a global scale. fears about potential side effects. like first responders, teachers and gro- Medical Center or the Frederiksted therefore still contagious. Currently, a total of 12.2 million Health officials said the vaccines cery workers. Health Center and they will use a slid- “The vaccine is not a ‘get out of miti- doses of the vaccine have been ad- are not comprised of the “live virus,” This group joins those in “Phase ing pay scale,” Stout said. gation jail card,’” Hunte-Caesar said. ministered nationally, according to the but are rather composed of dead or 1A,” which included clinical health Health Commissioner Justa Encar- “The vaccine is a countermeasure that U.S. Centers for Disease Control and inactive particles of the virus which care staff, residents and staff in long- nacion cautions that individuals should you have to do simultaneously with all Prevention. trigger the body to produce antibod- term care facilities, as well as persons not switch between vaccines for each the other mitigation strategies.” “The only thing that’s going to ies. These particles are contained in in need of special care and the elderly. dose. That means face masks, social dis- change the way we behave with the so- a polysaccharide solution that is con- VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen — Contact A.J. Rao at 340-714-9104 tancing and adherence to travel re- cial distancing and the masks and other sistent with ingredients already in ex- said his agency is working with both or email [email protected]. Outgoing BVI governor launches far-reaching corruption inquiry BY DEAN GREENAWAY who speak up are too often silenced,” esty in relation to officials — elected, Special to The Daily News he said. “I would like to let the people statutory or public — may have taken of BVI know that your voices have Next governor now in quarantine place in recent years. If so, it will also TORTOLA — Days before his de- been heard. We have received the Daily News Staff “The people of the Virgin Islands consider the conditions that allowed parture, outgoing British Virgin Islands message loud and clear, the people of have shown great strength and spirit corruption to take place and make rec- Gov. Augustus Jaspert on Monday BVI want better.” Just like any new arrival to the in meeting those challenges, and I ommendations for improvement. announced the appointment of a far- Jaspert said he has not acted alone, British Virgin Islands, Governor- promise to do all I can to support the “This will be an entirely independent reaching Commission of Inquiry to but consulted with the deputy governor, designate John Rankin is undergo- building of further resilience against process led by a senior impartial judge, investigate pubic corruption. auditor general, police commissioner, ing a required the risk of natural disasters. I look the Right Hon. Sir Hickinbottom,” he Jaspert said the registrar of interests and others who 14-day quaran- forward to contributing to life on said. “This will help the commission commission will share responsibility for ensuring good tine before he the islands and to carrying out my reach fair unbiased conclusions under be led by promi- governance. will be sworn responsibilities under the Con- local law.” nent United King- in as the 15th stitution in the areas of external “If you are honest — which I dom judge Gary Allegations governor of the affairs, security and good gover- know, the vast, vast majority of peo- Hickinbottom, “First, there are wide concerns over British Virgin nance in service to the people of ple in BVI are — you have no reason who has more than the lack of transparency when it comes Islands. the Virgin Islands,” Rankin said in to oppose it,” he said. “It is a chance 45 years of judicial to spending public funds, particularly Rankin ar- a prepared statement. to clear names and end the allega- experience and the those relating to COVID-19 economic rived in the ter- Prior to joining the Foreign and tions of corruption which threaten to support of his suc- stimulus support,” Jaspert said. “Sec- ritory Thursday. John Rankin Commonwealth Office, Rankin plague our community.” cessor, Governor- Gary ond, there are wide concerns over the While 2020 practiced as a solicitor in Scotland designate John Hickinbottom possible mismanagement of some pub- was a challenging year, Rankin said and was a lecturer at the University The judge Rankin. lic projects. Successive audit reports he is looking forward to the opportu- of Aberdeen. Hickinbottom, who is a member “When a territory has good gover- have set out practices of political inter- nity to partner with the government He has been honored as compan- of the Privy Council and has been in- nance,” Jaspert said, “things run ef- ference, inflated pricing and conflicts and the people of the Virgin Islands, ion of the order of St. Michael and volved in high-profile cases including fectively and fairly for the people. This of interest.” according to a government press re- St. George and was most recently the government’s decision to approve territory is built on certain principles According to the BBC, allegations lease. served as governor of Bermuda. plans for a third runway at Heathrow and values, which are supported in allege a $40 million fund for families Airport, is perhaps best known in Brit- our Constitution. These values include struggling with COVID has instead ish media not for his legal abilities, but honesty, equality, integrity, respect and been channeled to political allies. his feud with a Chinese restaurant in free speech.” A third aspect are concerns over the attempts of interference in the criminal The commission Cardiff where Hickinbottom bought a It is the role of governor, Jaspert lack of transparency relating to govern- justice system.” Jaspert also expressed concerns second home. After Hickinbottom and said, to support the BVI and ensure ment contracts, which include a lack of “Finally,” Jaspert said, “are wide over “deliberate delays” in legislative his wife complained about smells com- that every action taken, is transpar- fair and open competition, conflicts of concerns about intimidation taking reforms and the failure to provide BVI ing from the restaurant, the owner faced ent, accountable and delivers for the interest and a lack of value for money, place across our society, public servic- institutions with the information re- prosecution for failing to get proper people. Jaspert said. es and the media with many describing quired to conduct their own inquiries. permission to install an extractor fan, He said concerns have been brought According to the BBC, one of the al- ‘a growing culture of fear’ in BVI. In “The state of governance in the BVI according to British media reports. to him by individuals from across the legations to be investigated is nearly $1 addition to these allegations, there is requires robust and impartial interven- The restaurant received an out- community, including business leaders, million spent on a school fence.