PAHO: Virus is Not Taking a Holiday

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – It’s beginning to look, and feel a lot like Christmas but health officials are warning members of the public to remember we are still in the midst of a pandemic.

Kristina Dragovich tells us more.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne using her weekly press briefing to warn member countries that COVID-19 remains a serious risk during the holidays.

Some countries in the region, including The Bahamas are seeing steep declines in COVID-19 cases while others have seen a sharp uptick in new cases.

Dr. Etienne warns people to remain vigilant with public health measures to avoid becoming a statistic.

More than 143,000 people in The Bahamas are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) has encouraged all countries to aim for 40-percent vaccination by the end of the year.

More than five million people around the world have died from COVID-19.

Dr. Etienne says a combination of vaccination and public and social health measures can go a long way in keeping the holidays safer this year.