Vaccine committee says second-dose bookings for next week will “hopefully” open within a few days
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamian citizens and residents eligible to receive their second vaccine dose but who have yet to book their appointment to become fully vaccinated will be unable to do so until next week.
According to National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee Co-Chair Ed Fields, there are currently no new vaccination appointments available for the remainder of the week, but he expects new appointments will available for next week for New Providence and Grand Bahama.
He said he expects that those appointments can be scheduled beginning today or Wednesday via vax.gov.bs.
The move has been prompted by available vaccine supplies, though The Bahamas is expected to receive its remaining balance of 33,600 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX Facility before the end of the month.
“The slots for this week are booked,” Fields said in response to questions from Eyewitness News.
“Hopefully, in a couple of days, some slots will be available for next week.”
He maintained that the only places slots will become open will remain Loyola Hall on Gladstone Road on New Providence and the Susan J Wallace Centre on Grand Bahama.
He continued: “We are working hard on securing supply.
“As soon as we know definitively, we will advise the public.”
The Bahamas is also expected to receive more than 57,000 doses of Pfizer through the COVAX Facility.
It had exclusively received AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses through COVAX since the vaccine rollout began earlier this year.
The US is also slated to donate a tranche of AstraZeneca doses from its surplus, though quantity and dates have yet to be announced.
Last Thursday, the committee advised that vaccines will be limited to second doses by appointment only for those who are eligible, but there were reports yesterday that some of those individuals were unable to schedule their appointments.
As of Saturday, 99,755 vaccines doses had been administered in The Bahamas, with 60,389 people receiving a first dose of the vaccine and 39,366 fully vaccinated.
National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee Chairperson Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis told Eyewitness News yesterday the committee supports mixing COVID-19 vaccines, but it will only do so if the need arises.
Eyewitness News reported last week that The Bahamas could join other countries in mixing doses of the UK’s AstraZeneca and US’ Pfizer vaccines, which has been shown to provide an even greater immune response to the virus.
