In a recent Facebook post, staff of International Motors, Fish Bay Tortola pose for a photo after having announced that staff received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The post read, “Don’t Procrastinate, VACCINATE! Very proud that the team here at International Motors have committed to doing their part to stop the spread. Every person in this photograph has received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. As a company we encouraged our staff members who wanted to get the vaccine and facilitated this during working hours by providing them with transport to the centers. We had a couple of people who got headaches, a couple of people felt a slight fever, and many felt a bit more tired than usual, but within 24hours all side effects had gone. We would like to say THANK YOU to those in the community who have taken the vaccine and we continue to encourage anyone who can to go and get theirs.”
The corporate announcement of staff vaccination comes as Health Officials in the BVI continue to plead with residents to get vaccinated, with hopes of getting some 70-75% of the BVI population vaccinated.
Recently Health Minister Hon. Carvin Malone announced that a community outreach awareness committee was being formulated in an effort to not only encourage residents to get vaccinated but to clarify any misinformation that may be in the public.
Additionally, over twenty percent of the population has received their first jab of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in the British Virgin Islands.
This is according to Minister of Health and Social Development, Honorable Carvin Malone who said “as at March 23rd 2021 approximately only 7,000 first doses have been administered to our elderly, our medical, uniformed and frontline staff and to those of us in the territory who have willingly consented.”
The Health Minister, within his March 25th WhatsApp media update also indicated that the BVI will inherit a total of 32,000 shots of the vaccine by April 2, compliments of the United Kingdom.
“As at today March 25th, the BVI received 20,000 doses of vaccines and the UK has indicated that on March 31st a further 12,000 doses of vaccine and relevant supplies will be delivered. In total, by April 2nd 2021, BVI would have received 32,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the UK. The expiration dates on these vaccines are May 31st and June 30th 2021”.
BVISLANDERS SHOWING UP IN SMALL NUMBERS SAYS MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
In an exclusive interview with our agency, Retired Registered Nurse and volunteer at local vaccine centers Nurse Gretchen Hodge-Penn shared that a very low number of BVIslanders are coming forward to take the vaccine.
Mrs. Hodge-Penn who has been volunteering at the Catholic Church Center in Road Town said while the community responded well in the beginning, many persons are still very hesitant.
She said “very active in the beginning. We were averaging like 160 people within a four-hour period that we were doing the vaccines. But within the past couple weeks, we’ve really slowed down to 75, 60, 65.”
“The people coming in now, our BVIslanders are the lowest numbers I have seen and that causes a need for concern. I hoping that they too take the time to do research, to ask questions and within the timeframe they will come to have the vaccine”, Nurse Hodge-Penn further added.
Adding to these sentiments was Honorable Malone who stated “BVI residents of other nationalities have agreed and in large percentages have predominantly been vaccinated. Our local population have been rather hesitant and only a small percentage have agreed and have been vaccinated.”
The Government maintains that vaccinating a high percentage of the population against COVID-19 is a crucial part of BVI’s strategy to curb the pandemic.
His Excellency the Governor Mr. John J. Rankin has said that all BVI residents will be offered both doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine by July 31st, in accordance with the UK’s intent to speed up the vaccination rollout.
Vaccination across the Virgin Islands continues this week at locations listed on the flyer being shown on the screen. They are: R&R Malone Complex, Pockwood Pond, St. Williams Catholic Church, Road Town, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Fat Hogs Bay and the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic, Virign Gorda from 10am-3pm Monday through Friday.