Gay Nagle Myers
"Get vaccinated" -- or variations on that message -- have become the rallying cry of these times.
One of the more memorable (yet fun) reminders of the importance of a shot in the arm came from Dolly Parton, who blended her message with song and humor by putting a modern spin on one of her old classics "Jolene" and remixing it as a one-verse "Vaccine" parody. Following the song, Parton got a dose of her own medicine on screen from a doctor at Vanderbilt University, where she had donated $1 million last year in the early funding for the Moderna vaccine.
I've thought of that scene often as I've watched clips of people lined up all over the world to follow Parton's advice as well as that of the CDC, the current administration and so many other organizations.
As much as the message to get vaccinated in the U.S. is being pushed, so, too, is it in the Caribbean. Despite Covid spikes and surges on different islands, the Caribbean's vaccination rollout is moving forward, helped along by donations of vaccines from the U.K.
Vaccinations of Caribbean residents spell protection for those who get the shots, lessen transmission within their own communities and appear to be a path to tourism recovery for many of those whose lives have been upended in the past year.
Jobs lost in 2020 will return as more visitors arrive, confident in their own health and safety by knowing that those who greet them, serve them in restaurants, drive them to attractions and guide them through rainforests and on kayak tours are protected. It's peace of mind for everyone.
There's urgency in the messages put out by island governments to their people. Vaccine availability could dry up. Or cases could spike and what's been gained thus far in recovery could backslide to lockdown, as has happened in St. Barts, Anguilla and, to some extent, Bermuda.
The Cayman Islands, for example, whose borders remain closed to visitors until 80% of the population is inoculated, is pressuring residents to ensure they get their first dose by June 9 because the vaccines now on island will expire at the end of that month, according to Dr. John Lee, chief medical officer, in a report in the online Cayman Compass.
"We have a precious resource of vaccinations," Lee said. "Let's not waste this gift in the face of the world's gaze. People are desperate for vaccinations in countries where patients can't get enough oxygen and respiratory support."
He pointed out that the country "is looking forward to the borders reopening, and to make the population safe, we need to have widespread coverage of all those eligible."
Latest statistics reveal that 55% of the Cayman Islands' total population of approximately 65,000 have received at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but Lee said that demand for the vaccinations had declined since its peak in March.
Part of the check-in area at Owen Roberts airport is currently being used as a vaccination clinic for residents.
In the Dominican Republic, the government is expanding the vaccination categories to ensure that tourism workers, public transport drivers, journalists and all people over 60 have priority in the National Vaccination Plan to prepare for the "definite reopening of the economy," according to a government statement. The country reopened its border to all visitors last July.
The DR last week launched a vaccine drive that prioritized tourism workers. Hotel companies that are stepping up to the plate to vaccinate their employees, include AMResorts, Baha Principe Hotels & Resorts and Melia Hotels International and Palladium Hotel Group.
A vaccine campaign in St. Barts, meanwhile, has raised expectations of a mid-May reopening. The island, an overseas territory of France, was required to close its borders in February after a surge in cases.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, tourism commissioner Joseph Boschulte estimated that about 3% of visitors had received at least one jab as of mid-April.