By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

THE government’s roll out of its COVID-19 vaccination programme will not proceed as rapidly as previously announced, with only 20,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine expected in the country this Wednesday.

On Friday, officials said these vaccines — a gift from the government of India — would have arrived in the country yesterday. Due to “logistical issues overseas” the shipment has been delayed until Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said during a national address yesterday.

Dr Minnis also said the government is expected to receive 33,600 doses out of 100,800 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine purchased through the World Health Organisation’s/Pan American Health Organisation’s COVAX facility “before the end of March”.

The remaining 64,200 doses should be in the country by the end of May, he said.

Dr Minnis said because the government is receiving vaccine doses in “smaller batches”, his administration has to slightly deviate from the previously announced plan.

Those eligible to receive these first doses will now be: healthcare workers in the public and private sectors; residents and staff of eldercare homes; and non-ambulatory residents registered in the public health system.

“This first and critical priority group includes those who are our first line of defense against the COVID-19 virus and those among the most vulnerable in our population,” Dr Minnis said.

“It is expected that healthcare workers may begin booking their vaccination appointments online within days of the arrival of the vaccine. Details on how the appointment process will work will be published within the next few days.”

It had been previously announced that uniformed branch members; frontline workers; critical workers in high-risk settings and other essential services would also be in the priority group to receive the first vaccines, however this appears to have changed due to the smaller batches being shipped in.

The roll out of the first 20,000 doses is expected to begin days after the arrival of the vaccine.

“A phased approach must be applied to all islands in this first batch,” Dr Minnis said. “At this stage, vaccines will be administered in phases on New Providence, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands.

“The Ministry of Health and the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee have developed a distribution plan to ensure a smooth and seamless roll out of the vaccine and to ensure equity in the distribution of the vaccine.”

In an apparent reference to those who may be critical of the adjustment to the inoculation roll out, Dr Minnis stressed that vaccines “are in extreme demand globally and are difficult to secure.”

He added: “This means we have to be prepared to adjust as necessary based on the availability of the vaccine. We have had to be flexible throughout the pandemic. It is important that we continue to exercise patience during this process.

“We are fortunate to receive these vaccines at this time. We are working aggressively and on several fronts to secure vaccines from approved providers as quickly as possible.”

The government was first expected to receive vaccines through COVAX late last month. A down payment was made towards this purchase last year.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is a two dose shot administered eight to 12 weeks apart.

In February, Minister of Health Renward Wells said the government would likely use the first batch all at once to vaccinate citizens, meaning that if 100,000 doses were shipped to the country, 100,000 people would be able to be vaccinated.

At the time, Mr Wells insisted there would not be a stall in inoculations across the country once those first doses have already been administered.

He said the government had already secured ways to receive additional vaccines.

Last week, PAHO said COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be in short supply throughout the year.

Meanwhile, international news outlets have reported that rich nations like the United States, Britain and Canada have been buying up stocks of the vaccines, leaving poorer nations shut out.

Once the vaccines arrive, Dr Minnis said they will be stored at the National Immunisation Cold Storage Facility in New Providence and transferred to other islands as required.

This “state-of-the-art” cold storage facility is a secure, temperature-controlled, clean and protected environment, he said.

The facility’s temperature can be monitored remotely and it has a back-up generator supply.

Fallback facilities have also been identified.

The national storage facility has the capacity to safely store hundreds of thousands of vaccines and will be under 24-hour guard by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Last night, Dr Minnis also made a strong push for vaccine sceptics to take the shot once it becomes available. He said this will help save the country’s economy and keep COVID-19 cases low.

“As we have said repeatedly, the vaccine is not mandatory. But I urge everyone to take the vaccine as soon as you are eligible to do so.

“. . .If we are disciplined and take the vaccine, our country will be even more attractive to travellers, especially from our leading tourism market, the United States.

“If we refuse the vaccine and there is a resurgence of the virus, fewer visitors will come to The Bahamas. This virus will not magically disappear. It is highly infectious and there are new variants. These new mutations are dangerous and easier to catch.”

Healthcare workers will be vaccinated on-site at their respective institutions while residents and staff of eldercare homes and the registered non-ambulatory will not be required to make an appointment, Dr Minnis said.

Mobile units will be used to vaccinate residents and staff of eldercare homes and the non-ambulatory on-site, in New Providence and Grand Bahama.

In the Family Islands, medical teams will administer vaccines to healthcare staff on the island and at eldercare homes and to the non-ambulatory.

Dr Minnis said the path out of the emergency phase of the pandemic is twofold: maintaining current public health practices and vaccinating the population.

He added that at the “appropriate time” the country will hold a Day of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for those who died during the pandemic.