London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

Concerning! Low vaccination rate in high risk group in VI– National Epidemiologist

Concerning! Low vaccination rate in high risk group in VI– National Epidemiologist

The low vaccination rate seen in residents 60 years and up, who are most at risk of hospitalisation or even death due to COVID-19, is a concern for health officials in the [British] Virgin Islands (VI).

This is according to National Epidemiologist Harmonie Massiah who was part of a panel of health officials being interviewed by Government Information Service (GIS) on Thursday, May 27, 2021.

“Now regarding the high-risk population of those 60 and above, only 36.5 per cent has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Now that’s concerning to us because we know that age, especially coupled with pre-existing health conditions, increases your risk of severe disease, hospitalization and premature death. For example, persons in their 60’s or 70’s have a greater risk of death hospitalisation and severe symptoms than those in their 50’s and 40’s,” she stated.

Massiah said as of May 23, 2021, some 16,759 doses of the vaccine were administered in the territory, and approximately 11,648 were first dose vaccinations.

“Which means 38.3 per cent of the population and 5,111 second dose vaccinations, meaning that 17 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated,” she said.

She also pointed out that “these numbers are likely to be an underestimation simply because we had a number of persons from the territory who went abroad and got Pfizer and Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. Also, the baseline population we used to calculate these figures might be an overestimation, we really don’t know how many people we have in the population since Irma.”

National Epidemiologist Harmonie Massiah said only 36.5 per cent of persons in the high-risk population of those 60 years and over has received at least one dose of the vaccine.


Only mild side effects of vaccine in territory


The National Epidemiologist also reported that the side effects of the vaccine in the territory have been mild.

“The most prevalent being achy feelings, headache, chills, fatigue, pain and itching at the injection site. We have not to date have any reported cases of severe disease, and we are asking the community, if you have had any rare side effects like diarrhoea, vomiting, blood clots, please report to Public Health so that we can then come back again and inform the public so that they can be further educated,” she urged.

Messiah also said the dominant percentage of persons being vaccinated are males in the 35 to 50 age group.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×