Dr Wheatley said it was critical that persons adhere to the established protocols.

“I would like to say that announcements on the coming school year are forthcoming, but persons must have some patience at this particular time given the fact that we still have a very high number of COVID-19 cases in the territory.

“Let’s focus on getting those cases down, and that will truly inform what we will be able to do in September when we prepare to go back to school. Certainly, as persons would know, Cabinet and the Health Minister take advice from the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) as it pertains to decisions such as summer programmes, such as the form that school will take,” Dr Wheatley stated during the 10th Sitting of the Third Session of the Fourth House of Assembly on July 29, 2021.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has urged all to play their part in reducing the number of coronavirus cases in the territory ahead of the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) advice on the new school year.

Less COVID-19 numbers, the better!

The Minister said bringing down the cases would “give us a much better position to go forward with confidence.”

“So please, I indulge you, give us a little more of your patience and work hard to social distance, sanitise, make sure that we mask up, make sure that we get vaccinated so that we can give our children the best chance of going back into the classroom.”

The VI now has 441 COVID-19 cases and 37 deaths since the last update provided by the Government on August 4, 2021.