NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee is expected to have its COVID-19 vaccination rollout plan by today, according to committee Co-Chair Ed Fields.
Fields, along with National Immunization Manager Ruth Bastian, appeared as guests on ILTV’s “Beyond the Headlines” with host Clint Watson Wednesday night, just hours after the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in the country.
The 20,000 doses are a donation from the government of India.
Currently, those eligible to receive the first vaccine doses will include healthcare workers in the public and private sector, residents and staff of elder care homes and non-ambulatory residents registered in the public health system.
Fields on Wednesday noted that the limited amount of vaccines in the first tranche will make the start of vaccinations “even tighter”.
He said the committee would meet to “tweak” the particulars of the rollout and have its exact plan by today or early next week.
The Bahamas is expected to receive 33,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine before the end of March from WHO/PAHO.
Those doses are part of the 100,000 doses secured through The Bahamas’ pre-payment to the COVAX facility, which were expected to arrive by the end of last month.
The remaining doses through COVAX are expected to arrive in the country by the end of May 2021.
Meanwile, Bastian sought to assure Bahamians that the vaccines donated from the Indian government are safe and have received pre-qualification from the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization.
She noted that the donation from the Indian government is not a new relationship with The Bahamas, given that the country has also manufactured many of the vaccines that are used in-country.
She also assured that the vaccines were protected and kept at the proper temperature throughout transit to the storage facility in the country.
Once the rollout begins, people will be able to make their appointment for vaccinations online, via the phone or at registration centers, removing any concerns of overcrowding or flooding of people at the facilities.
Fields explained that once individuals receive their first jab, they will be able to immediately make their appointment for their second dose.
As for how vaccinations will occur on the Family Islands, the vaccine committee co-chair noted that that will also have to be discussed going forward, given that the country has yet to receive additional vaccines to date.
Field noted that the matter remains fluid.
“There are islands, for instance, where there haven’t been cases for 160 days,” he said.
“So, with the condensed amount of vaccines we have, we are now again almost daily revisiting these strategies.”
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said on Wednesday that a vaccination trial run will be held this weekend, with full rollout to begin next week.
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