The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net 

ABOUT 5,000 people have received their first shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since the country began its vaccination programme last week.

The figure was provided by deputy chair of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee, Ed Fields.

Mr Fields spoke to The Tribune after it was revealed that walk-up vaccine appointments at one of the government’s vaccination facilities – the Church of God of Prophecy — have been filled for the next three days.

The local church, which begins vaccine operations today, is also serving as an appointment centre for residents without access to the internet or an electronic device to book their vaccine appointments.

“The public will be notified as more walk-up appointments become available following the Easter holiday,” the government said in a statement yesterday.

The East Street site is one of several vaccination centres that was scheduled to go live this week. According to Mr Fields, the facility has the capacity to vaccinate “close to about 250 people” a day.

Committee officials announced on Sunday that a record of vaccinations administered would be published each Wednesday. However, an official statement on the matter was not released up to press time. 

Yesterday, Mr Fields told The Tribune: “We’re still trying to compile all the necessary information but it’s probably just about over 5,000 vaccines issued so far.”

Those eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the first phase include healthcare workers, residents and staff of eldercare homes, people age 60 and older and staff of the uniformed branches, etc.

Meanwhile, the country awaits the arrival of some 33,600 doses—out of 100,000 ordered—of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from the Pan Health Organisation’s COVAX facility.

PAHO has said all countries in the region, including The Bahamas, should get their first deployment of the shots by early April. The shots which are currently being administered are part of the 20,000 doses the country received as a gift from India.