By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

FACED with “low” Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine supplies, the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee has decided to offer only second dose jabs in New Providence and Grand Bahama.

According to Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, committee chairwoman, the decision was made on Wednesday as officials seek to manage the available supply until a third instalment of AstraZeneca vaccines arrive in the country.

She said second dose appointments are available until July 27 and coincide with the arrival of more vaccines scheduled to arrive July 26.

In addition, she said the committee supports mixing vaccine brands AstraZeneca (Covishield) and Pfizer, according to research reviewed by the committee.

“The vaccine supply we currently have, I’m not going to give you the exact number of doses, but we have a schedule that goes to the 27th of July,” Dr Dahl-Regis told The Tribune yesterday.

“Our inventory is low, but we are managing the inventory and we are providing second doses until the 27th of July both in Nassau and Grand Bahama and we certainly expect to hear that the arrival of these vaccines, that the third instalment is before the 27th. This is what they said to us.

“We are committed to doing the second shots so with this low inventory we are doing only second shots. We made that decision yesterday (Wednesday),” she said in response to concerns about people receiving second doses.

Recently numerous international news agencies reported that although the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in Europe has been authorised by the European Union’s drug regulatory agency, the same shot manufactured in India hasn’t been given the green light.

Asked about this, Dr Dahl-Regis said the committee was not overly concerned.

“We received 20,000 doses of the Covishield that was approved by the WHO and we feel comfortable that the persons who received the Covishield based on the scientific advisory group of experts at the World Health Organisation, that it meets all the standards.”

Those 20,000 vaccines, she said, were from the Indian manufacturer while the subsequent vaccines were from another manufacturer. Both were made available through WHO’s COVAX Facility.

She continued: “So, what I am understanding is the WHO is dealing with the European Group with specific reference to Covishield and what they have approved, WHO approved for the EUL (emergency use listing).

“So, we are not overly concerned. Plus, we’ve had one breakthrough (infection in a vaccinated person) I think with the vaccine but when you look at that incident, it is not unusual, and we are checking on hospitalisations. We have been able to identify if any of the hospitalised individuals are vaccinated.”

Health Minister Renward Wells said  on Tuesday the country is expected to receive its first doses of the Pfizer vaccine through the COVAX Facility soon, with additional doses of the brand anticipated to arrive in the country later this year.

Speaking to reporters before a Cabinet meeting, Mr Wells said the first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine will consist of 57,330 doses and added that officials are hoping to have those vaccines here by the end of the month.

“We will have a more definitive date when the Pfizer vaccine will arrive in the country by Friday of this week,” Mr Wells said.

“The COVAX Facility, through PAHO, has informed the Caribbean region as to what is available, and the Bahamas has been offered some 57,330 doses of Pfizer through PAHO.

“You would also be aware that we are entitled to some 33 plus thousand doses of AstraZeneca. The date for arrival of that vaccine is July 26 and so we are eagerly awaiting AstraZeneca on July 26. We’re also awaiting the update through CARICOM for the donation directly from the United States as to how much doses of that vaccine we will be receiving. We should have that update this week as well.”

To date, the Bahamas has received 67,200 vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility, with the remaining 33,600 doses expected to be delivered at the end of this month.

Twenty thousand doses were donated by the Indian government in March.

A statement released by the committee later yesterday said the country has also been informed that additional vaccines will be made available in the third quarter of 2021, through a donation from the United States, via CARPHA (Caribbean Public Health Agency), and through the COVAX Facility.

The administration of second doses continues at the Loyola Hall COVID-19 Vaccination Centre on Gladstone Road by appointment only. Regrettably, walk-up appointments cannot be accommodated at this time.

To book an appointment online please visit vax.gov.bs.