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by pltm
(PLTM) - Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Carvin Malone has announced that the vaccination roll-out programme in the British Virgin Islands has now resumed, now that the United Kingdom is in the process of sorting out flight arrangements for the second shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
On Tuesday, Minister Malone announced that the territory would temporarily halt the programme due to the delay in the second shipment from the motherland. That, he reasoned, would essentially safeguard the second doses for persons who have already received their first dose.
“A decision was made to pause vaccinations until we secured firm delivery dates for the next two tranches of 12,000 vaccines each. This also gave us the opportunity to consolidate and fine-tune the process further,” he explained during a live broadcast last night, March 4 2021.
He said since then, correspondence from Governor John Rankin, indicated that the UK had “adequate quantities “of the vaccine required for the BVI.
In the communication, Governor Rankin stated, “that the charter flight is being booked for the planned second consignment of vaccines (12,000 doses) for delivery to the BVI on 17th March, which, if the second doses are to be administered from 25th March, allows sufficient time for a further 4000 persons to have their first dose.”
Governor Rankin expressed that the secured doses would be adequate for the “entire adult population of the BVI.”
“Provisionally, we have a further 12,000 doses pencilled in for 31st March. Providing we continue a steady, planned approach, I hope you will agree that there is no need to further pause the vaccination programme, and we should continue together to encourage people to come forward for that all-important first dose. I look forward to our continued close working on this very important and time-critical programme,” the Governor added.
In that regard, Minister Malone indicated, “Now that we have secured several paths forward, we are able to restart the programme in an orderly and coordinated manner. It is hoped that we do not experience any further delays but rest assured that all persons wishing to be vaccinated shall have access.”
He then expressed his gratitude to the UK government for the donation.
Hon. Malone also mentioned that plans are being finalised with COVAX for the delivery of 12,000 units of AstraZeneca based on prior mentioned contractual arrangements with the territory.
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