ONE-MINUTE READS

St Vincent residents reject AstraZeneca vaccines

The St Vincent and the Grenadines government says it has ordered 50,000 doses of the Russia-developed Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine, as nationals continue to refuse taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to help curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic here.

Health officials are worried that thousands of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are at risk of expiring at the end of this month, and Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has said that he intends to donate them to other Caribbean countries in need of the vaccine.

"I am going further and asking you, pleading with you to take the vaccine. It is important to your health. We have only had 13 per cent of the population who are vaccinated," Gonsalves told radio listeners.

"I know that some persons have some queries about the AstraZeneca vaccine but all the scientific reports would tell you with crystal clarity that any risk involved with AstraZeneca are minimal and the benefits are huge for any of these vaccines," Gonsalves said.

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C'bean Airlines resumes flights into Barbados

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL) said it would resume commercial flights in and out of Barbados from yesterday.

Flights into Barbados had been suspended after ash from the erupting La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent had also forced the closure of the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados.

In a statement, the airline said that the borders of Trinidad and Tobago remain closed and only special government approved services operate to and from the twin-island republic.

According to CAL, it will also operate flights to Guyana and Grenada during the week out of Barbados.

"Customers impacted by the cancelled repatriation flights from Barbados to Trinidad and Tobago will be advised by the Ministry of National Security about their reallocation to future flights," CAL said.

The airline said that passengers whose travel plans were affected due to the cancellation of flights between April 9 to May 3 can have their flights rebooked with no penalty applied.

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Trinidad suspends 'street food' selling to fight COVID-19

The Trinidad and Tobago government on Monday announced further restrictions to deal with the spread of COVID-19 as health authorities warn that the health system could collapse within a 10-day period.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley told a news conference that all food service will be discontinued, and that includes "what you call street food selling.

"I am sure there will be inconvenience there, but the corollary to that I am sure most people, if not all in this pandemic, in this crisis that is brewing that you could feed yourself at home," Rowley said, noting that when he announced the closure of restaurants and bars last week, "I did not anticipate the level of replacement for the convenience of those who have been restricted by that convenience resulting in the very thing we are trying to discourage ..."

He said also that all non-essential retail trade would be discontinued. "We will still keep the essentials going, pharmacies, groceries, hardwares and so on," he said.

"We are saying to the population for the days ahead ... if you don't have to come out as an essential worker, or don't have to come out for essential business, stay at home, stay away from people," Rowley said.

""I don't expect to win any popularity contest," Rowley said, adding that the measures are necessary to curb the virus "that will bring pain and suffering".

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