Thursday, 21st November 2024

St Kitts and Nevis confirm two cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19: Dr Laws

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Hazel Laws confirmed the presence Omicron COVID-19 variant in St Kitts and Nevis.

Saturday, 1st January 2022

COVID-19 cases again on rise in St Kitts and Nevis
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Hazel Laws confirmed the presence Omicron COVID-19 variant in St Kitts and Nevis. She said health authorities sent three (3) samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for genome sequencing on December 22, 2021, and two of the three samples came back positive for the Omicron variation of concern. "We have concrete evidence that the Omicron variant is spreading in the Federation when we examine the data relevant to these two samples. For the past seven months, the Lambda variety has been in circulation," said Dr Laws.  She also stated that as a result, St Kitts and Nevis have two COVID-19 variants: Omicron and Lambda. Get Vaccinated Vaccination has been an important part of the Ministry of Health's campaign against the COVID-19 virus. So far, the Ministry of Health has been able to procure enough dosages for the entire Federation's population, and a successful vaccination campaign has been implemented. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine booster doses are widely available across the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis to help battle the spread of COVID-19, and all eligible persons are advised to get them. Dr Laws, the CMO, also discussed how unvaccinated and vulnerable people in the society are more likely to develop the Omicron form. "Based on our data, sixty-eight (68) percent of COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated, twenty-six (26) percent are completely vaccinated, and the remaining approximately seven (7) percent are partially vaccinated."  She said as a result, it continues to be a disease that affects the most vulnerable and unvaccinated. "I want to utilise this opportunity to reach out to individuals who have not yet been vaccinated, to empower you with the most up-to-date information, and to come on board and enjoy a level of protection against COVID-19 by consenting to th vaccination." The Omicron variant was originally detected in South Africa at the end of November and the beginning of December 2021, but it has quickly spread over the world, with instances confirmed in dozens of countries. 

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