Jomel Warrican and Chemar Holder were among the Eleven players and support staff members of the West Indies’ red ball training squad that received Covid-19 vaccine jabs in St. Lucia on May 19. The two other members of the squad received their second jab as well.
The doses were administered to the squad members by Cricket West Indies in partnership with the Government of St. Lucia and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
It wasn’t compulsory for all the members of the squad to get vaccinated, although some of them have already been vaccinated in their home countries and would receive their second jab in St. Lucia.
CWI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Israel Dowlat thanked the CARPHA and Govt. of St. Lucia for their support. “We are extremely grateful to have our governments and CARPHA who have been partnering with us to host cricket safely and to get our squads vaccinated.”
On their part, CARPHA Executive Director Dr Joy St. John thanked the cricket team, which holds a lot of important and influential capacity in the Caribbean, for helping it promote vaccination at the times when the US influenced NOVAX gang is also being a great influence among the Caribbean people.
"Cricket West Indies is leading the way in helping to raise awareness of the need to get vaccinated. They have been actively encouraging their players and staff to get vaccinated and we urge the people of CARICOM to follow them to safety by getting their vaccines as soon as possible," he said.
Both the red ball and white ball squad is training in St. Lucia ahead of their upcoming cricket of summer which will see them participate in a total of 22 games across all formats within a span of three months. This includes two-Test series of two matches each against South Africa and one three-match ODI series against Australia. The Men in Maroon will also play a match T20I series with each team as well.
The first assignment is Kraigg Brathwaite’s team taking on Dean Elgar’s in the first Test at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia from June 10 onwards.