Appealing to citizens to take the COVID-19 vaccine in light of the ongoing volcanic activity on the island

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is appealing to citizens to take the COVID-19 vaccine in light of the ongoing volcanic activity on the island.

He made the appeal during last night’s ‘Eyeing La Soufriere’ North Leeward virtual meeting. Gonsalves said St Vincent needs population immunity in case there is an explosive eruption and persons need to evacuate and be in close quarters.

St Vincent and the Grenadines recently received a donation of 40,000 doses of the vaccine Covishield from the Government of India.

Gonsalves recalled that in the last eruption of 1979, between 16,000 to 20,000 people had to be evacuated from the North East and North West and believes this might be the present number should an evacuation occur again due to an explosive eruption.