A late-night bulletin from the ministry on Wednesday said the closure is to facilitate the scheduling of appointments for all residents who fall into the Phase I category.

Phase I includes “health care and frontline workers such as Public and Private Health Care, Police Force, Fire and Rescue Department, Immigration Department, Her Majesty’s Customs, Ports Authority, BVI Airports Authority, Red Cross, VISAR and Mortuary Workers”.

“During this time, the registration form will also be updated to accommodate the subsequent phases and dates. The form will become available on Wednesday, February 24 at 10 am,” the ministry stated.

It added: “Vaccination efforts will continue at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital in Road Town, the Nurse Iris O’Neal Medical Centre on Virgin Gorda and the Rosalind Penn Health Centre in East End for residents who fall into Phase One from 10 am to 3 pm.”

The Health Ministry is also urging all persons who do not fall in the priority phases to allow the phases to be completed before applying for an appointment to be vaccinated.

All persons seeking information on the phases and the vaccination roll-out programme are asked to visit www.bvi.gov.vg/covid-19, email covid19vaccine@gov.vg or call during office hours of 8 am to 5 pm at 468-2286 or 468-2287.