There will be no viable doses of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine available in the territory beginning today, October 1 to October 7.
Health Minister Carvin Malone said the territory’s latest batch of the
AstraZeneca vaccine expired on September 30.
However, he said the United Kingdom government is still committed to supplying the territory with the required number of
AstraZeneca vaccines for eligible persons.
“The next batch of
vaccines will arrive next Thursday (October 7) and will be available to the public on Friday (October 8),” Malone said.
The Health Minister also noted that the government has already placed an order for ‘the super sub-zero cold storage facility. This facility will store the
Pfizer and Moderna
vaccines that the British government pledged to the territory.
Persons eligible for these two
vaccines include school-age children between 12 and 17.
Malone used the press conference to urge visitors to adhere to the quarantine protocols set by the government. He said following these orders is one important way to stop the spread of the viral disease.
The minister said there has been an uptick in vaccination because of new
vaccine requirements for certain entertainment establishments as well as the recently-announced US
vaccine mandate. However, he noted that the current figure still falls short of the targeted 75 percent of the population or 22,500 people required for herd immunity.
“To date, the vaccination rate stands at 51.6 percent representing 15,468 persons being registered as fully vaccinated. Another 2,139 persons await the second dose which when completed will be 58.2 percent, representing 17,677 persons,” Malone said.