by Linda Straker
- Grenada will receive AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine
- Delivery estimated to begin in late February
- Essential workers and high-risk people through age or pre-existing conditions on priority list
- Prime Minister said that there will be no law to force persons to take Covid-19 vaccine
Grenada is scheduled to receive 45,600 Covid-19 vaccines under the COVAX facility. Delivery is estimated to begin in late February under the World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL) Procedure.
The WHO EUL is a risk-based procedure for assessing and listing unlicenced vaccines, therapeutics and in-vitro diagnostics with the ultimate aim of expediting the availability of these products to people affected by a public health emergency.
According to the interim distribution forecast within the OECS, St Vincent and the Grenadines is scheduled to receive 45,600; Antigua and Barbuda 40,800; Dominica 28,800; St Kitts and Nevis 21,600 and St Lucia 74,400. Territories that are British Overseas Territories are scheduled to received vaccines from the United Kingdom.
The forecast document said that on average, 3.3% of the total population of the 145 participant territories are receiving doses from at least one manufacturer. “This is in line with the Facility’s target to reach at least 3% population coverage in all countries in the first half of the year, enough to protect the most vulnerable groups such as healthcare workers,” said the document.
Health Minister Nickolas Steele said that Grenada has already agreed its priority list: essential workers and people who meet the prerequisites to be categorised as high risk through age or pre-existing conditions.
The date for the vaccines’ arrival is not yet public, but once they are on the island the public will be made aware of the date set to commence inoculating those on the priority list. Police officers, nurses and doctors are on the priority list.
Annually, Grenada and PAHO member states observe Vaccination Week in the Americas during the month of April, and this year it will be observed from 24 to 30 April. Vaccination Week is used to promote the use of vaccination to protect against diseases for which there is a vaccine available.
Grenada will be receiving the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, licenced to Serum Institute of India under the advance purchase agreement between Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and AstraZeneca.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has said that there will be no law to force people to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
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Why Grenada has not asked India to donate additional vaccines like Barbados and Dominica. Barbados got 100000 doses and Dominica 720000 doses. These are in addition with what will be given through COVAX.
Dominica Prime Minister stated in a press conference he will share some with OECS countries . I guess Dominica will be the first country in the region to have their entire eligible population vaccinated given its small population.
So why is Grenada only relying on COVAX?
india can donate only the most they can.