Vaccinations Begin Thursday, Governor, Health Minister To Take First Doses
In a move to ease public fear of the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine in the British Virgin Islands, Governor John Rankin will join Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Carvin Malone in being the first two persons to be vaccinated live next week Thursday.
This is according to Premier and Minster for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie.
He said to reporters following the historical delivery of 8,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from the United Kingdom yesterday, February 4, at the T. B. Lettsome International Airport that the move will be an important one especially for those who are having doubts about taking the vaccine.
“We are going to do it live with the Governor and the Minister of Health getting their first dose, and I will come to make sure that they are doing it … and that is some encouragement for all who would have some fears. There is also some stipulations like you cannot be pregnant and over 60 years as the first category. So safely they have covered those both parameters,” he remarked.
He added, “So we will be starting with them which is important because the Minister of Health has been leading the way with his team and the Governor has come and hit the ground running, and when persons see persons like the Governor and himself taking the vaccine, persons will realize that there is some safety in it and they are not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.”
He also informed that more vaccines are coming.
According to the Premier, sometime in 2020, prior to the UK government offering the AstraZeneca vaccines, his government signed up with COVAX to acquire some 12,000 vaccines which would equate to vaccinating 6,000 persons with two doses each.
However, “The UK have their orders coming in. Hopefully, they will come in first, another 8,000, then we would do 4,000 persons more, and we will continue along that line.”
“So between that (COVAX) and the UK – hopefully, the UK can do all – we will be able to vaccinate the entire population of the BVI, those who would want to be vaccinated of course.”
Premier Fahie added that in approximately seven months, the entire population would have had the opportunity to be vaccinated, “allowing us to be able to be more healthy and to be a more safe destination which will help our tourism product, it will help our economy overall.”
He said to reporters following the historical delivery of 8,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from the United Kingdom yesterday, February 4, at the T. B. Lettsome International Airport that the move will be an important one especially for those who are having doubts about taking the vaccine.
“We are going to do it live with the Governor and the Minister of Health getting their first dose, and I will come to make sure that they are doing it … and that is some encouragement for all who would have some fears. There is also some stipulations like you cannot be pregnant and over 60 years as the first category. So safely they have covered those both parameters,” he remarked.
He added, “So we will be starting with them which is important because the Minister of Health has been leading the way with his team and the Governor has come and hit the ground running, and when persons see persons like the Governor and himself taking the vaccine, persons will realize that there is some safety in it and they are not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.”
He also informed that more vaccines are coming.
According to the Premier, sometime in 2020, prior to the UK government offering the AstraZeneca vaccines, his government signed up with COVAX to acquire some 12,000 vaccines which would equate to vaccinating 6,000 persons with two doses each.
However, “The UK have their orders coming in. Hopefully, they will come in first, another 8,000, then we would do 4,000 persons more, and we will continue along that line.”
“So between that (COVAX) and the UK – hopefully, the UK can do all – we will be able to vaccinate the entire population of the BVI, those who would want to be vaccinated of course.”
Premier Fahie added that in approximately seven months, the entire population would have had the opportunity to be vaccinated, “allowing us to be able to be more healthy and to be a more safe destination which will help our tourism product, it will help our economy overall.”