“One area of emphasis in 2022 would be preparation for the implementation of COVID-19 vaccine boosters,” Premier Andrew Fahie announced during his budget speech yesterday.

The Premier also announced that this will be coupled with the vaccination of school-aged children, using the Pfizer vaccine, but he noted that this will only be done with the permission of parents.

The territory was previously assisted in its vaccination efforts for a small fraction of locally-based children by the neighbouring US Virgin Islands.

COVID-19 still a live threat

The Premier also boasted about the capacity of the territory’s COVID-19 testing lab.

“As a matter of fact, our lab is so certified, so efficient, that despite the challenges, we have been able to assist many of our Caribbean brothers and sisters with making sure that we help run their tests and also give results so that they also could have stayed on the cutting edge of their economy and help their visitors,” Premier Fahie said.

COVID-19, the Premier said, is still a live threat so the BVI Health Services Authority and other health stakeholders will continue working to keep the BVI safe.

He reminded persons that the territory suffered a deadly COVID-19 surge between June and August of this year, which saw its positive numbers rise to more than 1,600 persons, and left several deaths in its wake.

Premier Fahie also encouraged persons to continue with preventative measures against COVID-19 such as mask-wearing, hand washing and social distancing.

At present, more than 16,000 of those persons in the British Virgin Islands have been fully vaccinated while more than 1,700 are partially vaccinated.