By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

FOR those Bahamians who are still having vaccine hesitancy, a Pan American Health Organization chief said the public should accept that the vaccines have been assessed as safe and take them.

“I want to remind citizens that the vaccines authorised by WHO and delivered through COVAX have been thoroughly assessed by experts,” PAHO director Dr Carissa Etienne said at the organization’s weekly regional webinar.

“So, when it’s your turn to get vaccinated, embrace what’s available to you and don’t delay your vaccination.

“Getting vaccinated as soon as you’re eligible is the best way to protect yourself and your community. This also means that if your vaccine requires two doses, you should get your second dose when it’s scheduled to ensure you have the best possible protection.

“Across Latin America and the Caribbean, we have a long legacy in immunisation and trust in the life-saving power of vaccines. Once new doses are available, countries are ready to distribute them as quickly as they arrive and PAHO will work tirelessly to get vaccines to every corner in our region, until this pandemic is behind us.”

Regionally, over the past week there were 1.1 million new COVID-19 cases recorded with 31,000 new deaths. Four of the five countries with the highest weekly death counts in the world continue to be here in this region.

As of June 15, there were 17 new cases of COVID-19 reported in The Bahamas bringing the overall count of reported cases to 12,242. There was one new death reported – a 38-year-old female resident of Bimini who died on June 14. This brings the death toll to 240 with 28 other deaths being investigated.

Dr Etienne said neighbouring Cuba and the Dominican Republic continue to drive most new cases in the Caribbean, while Trinidad and Tobago is still reporting high death rates.

There is, however, good news coming from the world leaders – G7.

“Over the weekend, leaders from the Group of Seven pledged one billion COVID vaccine doses for countries in need around the world,” Dr Etienne said. “This promise brings fresh confidence that we will overcome the supply barriers that have prevented many nations and territories in our region from getting the doses they need to protect their populations.

“Today, less than one in ten people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated against COVID, yet we’re a region of more than 600 million people where cases are mounting, hospitals are full, and variants are rapidly circulating.

“So, while vaccines are needed everywhere, we hope G7 nations will prioritise doses for countries at greatest risk – especially those in Latin America that have not yet had access to enough vaccines to protect even the most vulnerable. These doses cannot come soon enough, so we urge G7 countries not to delay their donations.”

Dr Etienne assured the region that the COVID-19 vaccines work and pointed to the results of the COVID-19 inoculations.

“It’s easy to see why: vaccines work,” she said. “More than two billion COVID doses have been administered around the world. In places where COVID vaccination coverage has been high – like some US states, the UK and Israel – there has been a dramatic reduction in COVID-related hospitalisations and deaths.

“When outbreaks occur – as Chile is experiencing now – COVID vaccines are protecting those who are vaccinated, including health workers, from the worst of the virus. This is exactly what COVID vaccines were designed to do: protect our communities and help us save lives. With the prospect of additional doses, we want to remind countries about the importance of communication campaigns to maintain trust in vaccines.

“Having clear and transparent information about when doses are or aren’t available, and consistent guidance on who is eligible for vaccinations is key to increasing confidence in our vaccination programmes. It is when there are breakdowns in information or when details are slow to arrive that misinformation can take root.”

She said WHO and PAHO have issued updated guidelines for countries making and adjusting their COVID vaccination campaigns as additional doses are made available.