BVI News

UK to send final shipment of COVID vaccines to BVI

The BVI is set to receive a final shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from the UK this Wednesday.

According to Health Minister Marlon Penn, the vaccines were promised under the terms of a revised Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Health Security Agency and the Government of the Virgin Islands.

The new shipment will include paediatric doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for children ages five and older, as well as doses of Pfizer’s bivalent vaccine which provides enhanced protection against the Omicron variant and the original strain.

The Health Minister said COVID-19 trends in the BVI are encouraging, and added that local laboratories have rarely detected the virus in recent times. Penn further noted that severe infection and hospitalisation rates due to COVID are currently low.

But he said the government is still encouraging people to get the vaccine and boosters to protect themselves from the virus.

“I once again urge persons, especially those at higher risk, including persons over 65 years of age and those with chronic diseases to seriously consider vaccination and boosters to increase your level of protection,” Minister Penn said.

Seasonal increase COVID and viral respiratory infections

He also warned that reports from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that the influenza season may be worsened by a concurrent seasonal increase in both COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections such as RSV, which also causes flu-like symptoms. He noted that these predictions for the United States are important for the BVI because the territory welcomes tourists from that country.

“This situation has the potential to cause higher than normal disease burden and impacts in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean region, given our very close ties to the United States and increases in visitor traffic during the tourism season,” the Minister explained.

He said COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are available at the BVI Health Services Authority through its primary-care clinics across the territory.

Significant reduction in COVID globally

The Health Minister revealed that the current statistics show a significant reduction in the transmission and impact of COVID-19 world-wide. Recent reports from the World Health Organisation indicate considerably lower rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths compared to 2021 and the beginning of 2022.

However, there have been increasing numbers of new COVID-19 infections and deaths observed in specific countries – namely, the United States of America, Russia, and Brazil.

Regionally, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has reported very marginal increases in COVID-19 related deaths and cases among its member states.

However, CARPHA said it is important to interpret the current trends cautiously, as most countries have seen an overall decrease in testing.

Shares

Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

12 Comments

Disclaimer: BVI News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the comments below or other interaction among the users.

  1. Hdbdbd says:

    Yes yes yes thank you thank you thank you ????????????

    Like 8
    Dislike 15
  2. outta deh woods? says:

    When last we had a tally or a covid update?

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
  3. Watcher says:

    More dangerous medicine that don’t even work. No mention of the people here that have been mashed up by the previous such deliveries…

    Like 18
    Dislike 9
  4. 4WHO QUESTION says:

    the coach said , we don’t want any help from those ra**st pigs , ( didn’t 5hey get the message ?

    Like 11
    Dislike 2
  5. Dr Magoo says:

    Will there be any informed consent?

    Beneficence (doing good)
    Non-maleficence (to do no harm)
    Autonomy (giving the patient the freedom to choose freely, where they are able)
    Justice (ensuring fairness)

    When will the ‘vaccine’ damaged persons get compensation?

    Like 15
    Dislike 4
  6. UK says:

    AYO NEED TO SEND MONEY INSTEAD….POUNDS STERLING OR EUROS

  7. smh says:

    how many boosters are there for Covid. The initial shot, then 2 or 3 boosters?

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  8. For your Consideration says:

    Please review this video before moving forward with another dose of the medical decision. There is a debate going on in the UK Parliament about the safety and efficacy of these products. What was told to us was not accurate information and the powers to be were also mislead by tbe manufacturers. Who will be held accountable for injuries and damage done to persons. This should not be swept under the rug like some rumor. This affected real people with real lives. From the beginning this was a one sided argument to this day.

    https://youtu.be/GYFYq0xEAjQ

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  9. ywea says:

    The U.K. sending us Pfizer what happened to the U.K. spec. Have you all not heard all the complaints against Pfizer and what they have disclosed to the public.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  10. lol says:

    straight outta d woods

  11. HOW COME says:

    None of the so called doctors are distancing themselves from the ( minister of health ) yet they enjoy the honor of the title

  12. Poor humanity says:

    I truly pray to God that no child here was given any covid shot. Those stories coming from countries all over the world of children “dying suddenly” are heartbreaking. Woe be unto those who played a part in any way.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1

Leave a Reply

Shares