The Health Minister made the appeal while speaking on in ZBVI radio; reminding persons that the current vaccine supply in the territory expires at the end of July.

Health officials recently announced a four-week period between which the first and second doses of the vaccine can be taken. This means that July 3 is the last day that anyone can take a first dosage of the remaining vaccine supply in the BVI before they expire.

Malone said health officials have even offered a concierge service in their efforts to get as much persons vaccinated.

“If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you,” he said while advising that centres will be open today so that the vaccine exercise can continue.

Malone reminded persons that the COVID-19 global pandemic wreaked havoc on the population and on businesses throughout the world.

“In the Virgin Islands we have done all that we could in terms of preparing institutions facilities and personnel for times such as this,” he stated.

The Health Minister said decisions have to be made to take the vaccine in order to get to herd immunity and give everyone fighting chance of survival.

He also warned that emergency rooms, labs and isolation centres cannot afford to be overwhelmed given the limited capacity in that regard.

According to Malone, the new variants of the virus throughout the world meant that adhering to social distance protocols was all the more important now. He further said preparations were being made for these variants’ eventual arrival in the BVI.

He further advised that persons need to do whatever they can to be safe and pointed out that being vaccinated was the most efficient method of accomplishing this.

He said the government will continue to negotiate with the UK government to determine whether they would be willing to offer the BVI additional doses of any vaccines for free.