Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Jul 23, 2025

Antigua launches campaign to reward citizens who get vaccinated

Antigua launches campaign to reward citizens who get vaccinated

The Antigua and Barbuda government has entered into a partnership with a local company in a campaigned designed at getting nationals vaccinated as part of the efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment said it was partnering with Epicurean Fine Foods and Pharmacy in a “One World Protected” campaign offering an EC$50 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) food voucher to each person receiving a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Last weekend, Prime Minister Gaston Browne warned of the possibility of implementing a mandatory vaccination programme here as he criticised persons who were encouraging others not to participate in the national vaccination programme.

“This is not a threat,” Browne said noting that the pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the socio-economic development of the island since the first case was diagnosed here last March.

Well I want to say definitively to the people of Antigua and Barbuda that we do not have the luxury of not getting vaccinated and if we do not get the herd immunity perhaps in the next 60 to 90 days there is going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth in this country,” Browne said, adding “that is the reality of it”.

In its statement, the ministry said that the voucher is not redeemable for cash or change and must be utilized in one transaction.

Health, Wellness and the Environment Minister, Sir Molwyn Joseph said that he is delighted that Epicurean Fine Foods and Pharmacy has come forward to support the government’s drive to reach herd immunity by offering a token to individuals who receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Getting vaccinated is not only a personal choice, but it is a choice that will impact positively on individuals, families, friends, communities and the nation of Antigua and Barbuda. The support of Epicurean Fine Foods and Pharmacy in this public health initiative is vital to the overall wellness and development of our society,” Sir Molwyn said.

The company’s human resource administrator, Nola Clarke, said that the company recognizes the importance of the nation being fully vaccinated and is delighted to support the government in offering a token to those individuals who make the responsible decision to get vaccinated.

“We proudly stand resilient with the government in this fight against the COVID-19 virus,” said Nola Clarke.

Sir Molwyn said that this initiative comes at an opportune time as the Ministry of Health ramps up its campaign to get more persons vaccinated. He said that he looks forward to other businesses on the island partnering with the Ministry to get the nation vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

The ministry has said that creating herd immunity will ensure that the majority of the population is protected from becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.

“With herd immunity, it is expected that the country will return to normalcy, which will include the facilitation of economic, social and cultural activities and the ease of travel. Individuals who received their first dose twelve weeks ago will commence receiving their second dose this month,” it added.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×