FORMER Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling receives her vaccination.
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By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
MORE than 1,500 people have received their first shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since the country’s national vaccination programme was launched last week.
Deputy chair of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee Ed Fields hailed the vaccination numbers as a great start to the rollout of the national COVID-19 campaign. He added officials are expecting a great turn out in the days ahead. The programme launched last Wednesday.
“The first day (at Loyola Hall) was very strong and the two subsequent days were fully subscribed and we are seeing that new week’s appointments are being taken up,” he said.
Vaccination sites already identified in New Providence include Princess Margaret Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Loyola Hall on Gladstone Road and Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre – all of which are now open.
According to Mr Fields, the Gladstone Road facility has the capacity to vaccinate up to 500 people a day. Meanwhile, at Princess Margaret Hospital, officials estimate that workers there can vaccinate a minimum of 120 workers a day.
In a statement released yesterday, committee officials said more vaccination sites are set to go live throughout the week, including the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Base for the uniformed branches, and the Lyford Cay Hospital.
It was previously announced that only healthcare workers, residents and staff of eldercare homes and staff of the uniformed branches, etc, will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase.
However, people aged 65 and older are also now included in the first priority group and can book their vaccine appointments online.
Explaining the reason for including people aged 65 and older in the first priority group, Mr Fields said: “We wish to ensure that the appointment slots are used and as we go along, we will open up other groups if uptake allows.”
According to the committee, those who do not have internet access or electronic devices to make their appointments will also be accommodated.
“A vaccination appointment centre for residents without access to the internet or a device will be set up at the East Street vaccination site,” the group continued.
“The East Street vaccination site on New Providence is scheduled to open on Friday, 26 March. Appointments for that site will open on Tuesday, 23 March, including online booking information.”
Mobile units are also expected to be used this week to vaccinate residents and staff of eldercare homes and the non-ambulatory in both New Providence and Grand Bahama.
Additional medical and logistical support has also been deployed to Grand Bahama to ensure a smooth vaccine rollout on the island at the Susan J Wallace Community Centre and the Rand Memorial Hospital, both of which will begin operations today.
As it relates to the rollout of vaccines on the Family Islands, Mr Fields said the situation is dependent on several factors.
“As the supply is limited, (it will be) based on the impact COVID is having on the respective islands and as supplies allow,” he said.
With vaccinations now underway in the country, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said the country is “turning the corner” in the fight against COVID-19.
However, there has been much vaccine hesitancy in some quarters, even among some health care workers.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan recently said officials have aggressively sought to educate and better inform frontline workers after a survey conducted several months ago found that some 40 percent of healthcare workers at Princess Margaret Hospital did not want to take the vaccine.
She said: “What we are doing is having forums where we can have healthcare providers and healthcare workers actually ask the questions and answer the questions. We’re providing as much info to them as required in order to increase their confidence, but we always continue to say that taking the vaccine is not mandatory.
“We invite healthcare workers in particular to dig a little deeper into the positive benefits of doing it and the research behind how the vaccines were made and we make ourselves available to provide that additional guidance and information.
“We’ve had a number of sessions definitely with the PMH grouping. Doctors Hospital had their sessions. We’re having sessions with the DPH (Department of Public Health), ministry groupings so we will have to continue to encourage our healthcare workers to take the vaccine because the benefit to themselves as well as the patient that they serve.”
Comments
tribanon 3 years, 1 month ago
Our more knowledgeable and expert health officials really need to start telling us the truth about these vaccines developed at warp speed using mRNA technology.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/health...">https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/health...
tribanon 3 years, 1 month ago
P.S.:
Using warp speed developed mRNA instructions to directly tinker with the coding of one's genetic material in order to stimulate the production of antibodies is very much prone to all sorts of unintended consequences, not to mention outright abuses by those who may have evil motives.
There's a big difference between using a traditional 'controlled harmful agent' vaccine to trigger a natural immunological response as compared to directly tinkering with the coding of one's genetic material via mRNA instructions to achieve immunity.
Nature is allowed to play its natural role in the development of an immune response to traditional vaccines for flu, polio, etc., but this is certainly not the case for these corona vaccines developed at warp speed using mRNA technolgy. To suggest there's no big difference between the two is like saying there's no big difference between night and day, which is of course true if you happen to be blind.
ConchFretter 3 years, 1 month ago
The Astra Zeneca vaccine was created using conventional methods and was not created using mRNA technology.
And it goes DNA -> RNA -> protein, not the other way around. mRNA cannot change one's DNA sequence. https://www.nature.com/scitable/topic...">https://www.nature.com/scitable/topic...
tribanon 3 years, 1 month ago
Rubbish! And stop trying to confuse changes in gene sequencing with the unnatural manipulation or triggering of what certain targeted genes do. Think of mRNA as darts created by greedy Big Pharma, your genetic material as the dart board, and greedy Big Pharma as the thrower of the darts. If a dart goes astray you might end up someday growing hair on the bottom of your feet.
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 1 month ago
Probably better to think of mRNA as a prescription sent by Big Pharma Doctor to tell your body what antibody & T-cell treatment to produce.
And, the Astra Zeneca vaccine is what they call a Viral Vector vaccine where the virus is genetically modified outside the human body (not in your body) to become harmless. Same goes for J&J & Sputnik vaccines. Viral Vector technology has been around since the 1970's and has been used in the fight of many infectious diseases including Ebola, Zika, Malaria, HIV, Influenza etc. mRNA technology has been around for 20 years, although this is the first time it's been used in a vaccine, the technology has been used in cancer treatment
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 1 month ago
Also, you do realize that viruses interact with your genetic material don't you? How the hell do you think they replicate in your body ? Let me explain: Viruses "reprogram" their host (in this case the cells in your body) by providing instructions (in the form of viral DNA or RNA), on how to copy the viral genome, express it's genes and then use the host's resources to make the viral proteins, which are then assembled (again by your body), to make more copies of the virus particles.
tribanon 3 years, 1 month ago
You persist in trying to complicate the simple facts behind these warped speed developed vaccines and the risks involved for the jabbed.
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 1 month ago
Not complicated to me. I understand the science.
I also like to think I have pretty decent critical thinking skills (unlike some) when it comes to determining which articles are trying to be informative, versus those that are looking to skew (or miss out) certain information in order to generate viewers/readers, so that they can continue to reel in the advertising dollars to satiate their corporate greed.
You won't catch me quoting anything from CNN, Fox or any of their ilk. Not denying that I don't read them, but I generally take them for what they are, which is not a news source anymore.
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 1 month ago
Duh!! 95% effective is not 100% effective. No-one has ever claimed that any of the vaccines are 100% effective. Stop with your fear-mongering nonsense.
tribanon 3 years, 1 month ago
You clearly missed the main point behind the CNN news report. Even if the vaccine is 100% effective for you, it does not mean you are no longer able to carry the Communist China Virus and pass it on to someone else. And this may be the case even after you have developed sufficient anti-bodies for the protection of yourself. These mRNA vaccines may not be as useful as many think when it comes to stamping out the spread of the Virus.
ConchFretter 3 years, 1 month ago
by ConchFretter
Topdude 3 years, 1 month ago
We have right here in Tribanon an all knowing expert in every area of human endeavor. I am wondering if he would do our nation a major favor and offer his/her services to serve as a Single Person Political Party and be responsible for all Portfolios in the Cabinet. This way we will save so much money by having one Cabinet Member and at the same time have a genius at helm of Government.
This person is clearly a troll generated and funded by foreign powers to sew discord in our country. There is no day that passes without this misbegotten And ignorant person commenting on every item in the news. This is unnatural and insane. And clearly coming from an ignoramus. One who derives psychological and emotive gratification from being Our own Cassandra.
tribanon 3 years, 1 month ago
LOL. The sillyness of election season is obviously making you more paranoid than ever.
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 1 month ago
Yeah, I'm just about done with his trolling and flamming
themessenger 3 years, 1 month ago
@topdude, you are absolutely correct when it comes to tribanon. The only thing moving at warp speed where he/she is concerned is the paddle he/she uses to stir their cesspool of a mind.
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