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.
I read that about 50% do not want the Covid vaccine.That means the virus will continue to circulate in the population. That means people will continue to die. That means tourists will avoid the Island.
You have population of approximately 105,000 persons on the island. That is no where enough vaccinations even with those who may choose not to take it. Read up on the vaccine if you have doubts. If you want to open to Tourism as your end all be all for national income then give the vaccine intelligent consideration. You may get an option of two different ones. If the whole continent of India is taking the vaccine I don’t see why Grenada or the Caribbean should be afraid of this one. There are millions times over the population in India and if it was a problem India wouldn’t have accepted it. They refused thousands of rapid tests that they got from China because they were substandard and worthless. They wouldn’t accept the vaccine and use it if it wasn’t any good. You are not the “guinea pigs”, those were all of the people who took the vaccine through stage three of the development which is the stage they try it out on people to see if there are any side effects. The key here is educate yourself. Don’t be ignorant. You have seen how quickly it can spread and the new variants even faster. Only ignorant people choose not to protect themselves but others as well. You need to read up on the people worldwide who have had covid 19, have survived but have permanent damage to their vital organs with no hope of recovery at this point. You have nothing to call a medical system in Grenada. You haven’t even had a taste of covid. Protect everything about Grenada, but most importantly the PEOPLE. You can NOT be so selfish as to jeapordize your elders and children by refusing to take the vaccine. Also, you are free to make your decision each and every one of you. But do not open your mouths if Covid 19 wipes out your island after the fact because of non-vaccination.
so will you be taking the vaccine D Hart, why do people need to take vaccine for something that has a 99.8% survival rate. You need to ask yourself when has any other race ever put black people first in the queue to get something. if you know your history you will see that we have always been last in the queue, but now they want to say black and ethnic people should get it first. WHY??. Do your research all the information is there on the internet. Vaccination will wipe out the island , not non vaccination Lookup Doctors for truth and Professor Dolores Cahill
Black people first in line? Rubbish. More whites in USA have been vaccinated than Blacks. No one is saying black people should get it first. You need to get off the Internet.
Most of the people who refuse vaccines are not likely to be around for very long. So the issue of refusal pretty much solves itself.
Trust me. The Government shouldn’t even bother on vaccinations when almost half of the population will not take it. Also I am letting you know they also see us black Caribbeans as test dummies. Same thing they are doing in Africa. They would rather first test it on us than their own people.
I am sorry but I would like to decline your offer towards giving us vaccines. We do not trust the vaccinations and what it can do to us. please. people. please do not accept the vaccinations. it is a way of foreign countries making money.
seems to me that tourism workers should be on the priority list too since they have encountered far more people with the disease than the hospital has….just saying…
The Dodgy Doc is gonna get his first, then the Chinese, then he’s gonna auction the rest to the highest bidder. No bid means no jab. Viva de revolution mon.
Che I just want to say thank you so much..you have written everything I was thinking. So there is no need for repeat here.
I beg to disagree with Patrick. This is a step in the right direction. It is not a bad strategy to keep the general public up-to-date as scenarios unfold so that they are not be blind-sided by any development.
Why is the vaccine being given to Grenada licenced to India?
Don’t forget this vaccine requires two shots to become fully effective
Not this one. It only requires one shot. It’s currently being given in India. It’s the least expensive of the other three out there. Besides, its efficacy is only about 65%, vs Moderna and Pfizer at 95%.
Isn’t that the J&J one you’re talking about?
A first step in the right direction
Ok 45,600 injections is allocated for us and our front line workers are one of the priority members who are listed to get the injection.
We then have a dilemma if those selected said that they are not taking it….what then ?This is when you will see what the WHO has put in place for such matters…..watch this space .
So many words. The important fact this story is based on a forecast. There are no firm dates, why not wait until there is real news to report? This is not objective reporting.
Rubbish Patrick. Nothing wrong in relaying that news in advance so people are aware. If it was reported at last minute then your post would be why so last minute This way most people can start deciding whether they want to proceed and GOVT’s can initiate laying out the populace who are high risk . Always better to be prepared.