BVI News

Over 6,000 vaccinated to date, mostly frontline workers

As the BVI gets ready to receive its second shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines from the United Kingdom, Health Minister Carvin Malone has announced that a total of 6,403 persons have been vaccinated to date.

The minister, who was speaking on ZBVI on March 16, said 5,344 were vaccinated on Tortola, 911 on Virgin Gorda, 68 on Jost Van Dyke, and 80 on Anegada.

Based on estimates from the World Bank’s data catalogue which places the territory’s population at 30,030, the number of people vaccinated so far represents a little more than 21 per cent of the BVI populace.

The minister said a majority of the vaccinated persons are frontline workers who are serving the public in different sectors.

“We were specific in term of frontline person; healthcare workers, Customs and Immigration — all those persons who have to interact not only with those coming into the country but persons inside the homes for the elderly, those who work in prisons,” the health Minister explained.

He added: “We offer no apology for keeping our institutions safe. We had to adhere to a lot of the protocols so that unlike a number of other countries, our seniors could be protected in the homes for the elderly, the inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison would not be subjected to [the virus]. We have called on our civil servants to go above and beyond and they have responded well in terms of fighting this pandemic.” 

The BVI was one of the first countries in the Caribbean to begin its COVID-19 vaccination programme. Some sections of the public are still doubtful about the AstraZeneca jabs but elected leaders and public figures continue to encourage persons to be vaccinated, saying a fully vaccinated community could be the key to the full reopening of the territory.

There is currently no active cases of COVID-19 in the territory.

 

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10 Comments

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  1. Fly says:

    How many frontline workers are there?

  2. At Carvin says:

    How many frontline workers are white people. Because them is who i see getting the shots.

    Like 7
    Dislike 7
  3. vaccines for all says:

    Not sure what your point is? I know lots of people, black and white, who have had the shot and none of them have had any real difficulties getting it (whether or not they are frontline workers). That’s great as far as I am concerned, but for us to get back normal life we need as many people to get down to the centres and get their shots instead of listening to the massive amounts of misinformation on facebook or from people who arent medical professionals. Otherwise we all gonna be sat here in the same spot whilst the rest of the world get back to normal. So just go get one.

    Like 13
    Dislike 3
  4. Lodger says:

    Hard to belive that more than a quarter of the eligible population, far less than 30,000, are front line workers.

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  5. Rubber Duck says:

    Those who have been vaccinated will tell you that it doesn’t hurt and there are next to no side effects.

    We live on little islands that are shut off from the world so we haven’t seen much of Covid. That will change, and when we mix with the rest of the world non vaccinated people will catch Covid. Some will feel no effects, some will be very ill and one in 200 will die.

    Do you want to play Russian roulette with your life?

    Get the jab

    Like 13
    Dislike 4
  6. Wow says:

    Who knew BVI was a center for frontline workers.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  7. Citizen says:

    We most all do our civic duty and vaccinate!

    Like 9
    Dislike 2
  8. Barry Baillie says:

    After sailing in the bvi for numerous years it’s time to find some where else , somewhere we are wanted and appreciated. So good luck BVI

  9. Really?? says:

    Why vaccinate customs and immigration? No one is allowed in???

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