National Director for Special Olympics Bahamas, Gilbert Williams is all smiles after having his first dose of the covid-19 vaccine administered this past Saturday (April, 10th). The decision to be or not to be vaccinated is truly a personal one, that every individual must make for themselves. With so much information and misinformation being reported and circulated via social media, making a deliberate and conscious decision continues to be a struggle for many people. But even an indecision, becomes a decision.

When asked what was the reason he decided to take the vaccine, ND Williams was quoted as saying “after sifting through the mounds of positive and negative information, I was able to determine that being vaccinated was not only a good thing, but a responsible thing. I am comfortable that I made the right decision for me, and everyone else will have to make the decision for themselves”.

 

As a leader within the Special Olympics movement which is in more than 190 countries around the world, National Director Williams pointed out that Special Olympics does not require any of its participants to take the covid-19 vaccine, even though it strongly encourages those who have access, to do so.

As a coincidence, on April 11th, a press release issued by the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee from the Office of The Prime Minister Of The Commonwealth Of The Bahamas, stated that “Persons with disabilities and their caregivers…” are now included in the various groups that can begin making appointments to receive the vaccine. The release went on to state that the Stapledon School, located on Dolphin Drive in New Providence has been identified as a vaccination site exclusively for persons with disabilities.

Williams says that he is extremely happy to see that persons with disabilities have been included in the priority groups, and that his hope now is that persons with disabilities and their caregivers, take advantage of this opportunity.