 St. Lucia has joined the Americas in celebrating the 19th Vaccination Week during the week of the 24th to the 30th of April 2021. This week's observance is being held another theme, vaccines bring us closer, get VACs, bringing it to focus how vaccines can bring people closer by keeping them healthy and ensuring that diseases remain at bay. This is especially important as the hemisphere combats COVID-19. St. Lejabatis is the Assistant Principal Nursing Officer and National Immunization Manager. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the Caribbean region and the rest of the world, affecting us from all dimensions and causing us to interact in unimaginable ways. As the Department of Health and Wellness reflects, it is noted that we have come a long way from where we were at this time last year. Although we are still in the pandemic, significant steps have been made towards achieving the normalcy which was stripped away from us as a result of COVID-19. Several clinical trials were underway towards a vaccine of vaccines that could protect us from COVID-19 and its complications. St. Lucia has administered over 24,000 first doses and over 1,000 second doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to date. As the ministry continues to roll out the campaign, everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated. The gains achieved with the elimination of measles, rubella, polio and tetanus through vaccinations leaves no doubt that the same can be achieved with the COVID-19 vaccines. However, Jean-Baptiste notes that a greater amount of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve this. Therefore, we plead to you, the citizenry, to get vaccinated against COVID-19. By doing so, you reduce the burden of severe disease, virus transmission, hospitalizations and death. At this moment, I take this opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of our health team, our physicians, nurses, health aides, attendants and other health care partners who continue to sustain the national immunization program, especially during the pandemic. The gains of the national immunization program would not be possible without your efforts. You continue to advocate for vaccines and delivering quality service to the people of St. Lucia. It has not been easy having to re-strategize considering the COVID-19 protocols which have been put in place. Additionally, your commitment and dedication took St. Lucia through a successful introduction and rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. While the focus is on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines in the battle against this pandemic and aiming for population immunity, the ministry reminds the public about the importance of the regular vaccination program.