TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin All adults eligible for vaccination May 1

Daily Herald story

Sure hope that the islands can get their percentage of vaccination up, as the current percentages are pitiful.

Clearly, Saba did something different as almost 90% of adults have received vaccine. I realize it's a much smaller population, but maybe St. Martin ought to benchmark with them and find out how they did it.

The article talks about the Dutch side, with an 11% vaccination rate, Saba, Statis, and the ABC islands. Only 4.8% of the French side population has received at least one shot, but they are trying to improve that. This Saturday there will be a vaccine clinic (Moderna) in Sandy Ground, open to all French side residents 18+. Proof of residence can be as simple as an electric, water, or phone bill. Doctors and pharmacists can provide AstraZenica to French side residents 55+, and Pfizer/BioNTech is being provided at the hospital. They have a long way to go, but they’re trying.

Yes, I was really surprised at that number for Saba. One wonders if that is accurate, as there is a big reluctance among Caribbean peoples to the vaccine.

There really has been very little outreach to citizens here to get their vaccines. It's a shame that a better PR campaign(s) was not mounted. Perhaps the local governments simply anticipated that people would be lining up for their vaccines? Apparently there are a number of local Facebook groups where antivax and vax disinformation is quite prevalent, and people are convinced they are either unnecessary or downright harmful.

My wife and I are grateful to have got our vaccines (Pfizer) on the Dutch side. She has had both, I get my second in 13 days. Everyone at the vaccination center was so professional and so nice - reminding me that this is the Friendly Island.