Use of COVID vaccine increases as local cases emerge

(CNS): Hundreds of people have fetched their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the past two days following the revelation that Cayman’s protective bubble had burst and the coronavirus had been detected in the community in a family with no travel history. At least 500 people were vaccinated at the West Bay Clinic Thursday evening and Camana Bay on Friday. The needle of the official national vaccination rate is moving again, with 74% of the population now having received at least one injection and more than 70% having received both doses. This does not include people vaccinated on Friday.

According to Health Minister Sabrina Turner, 229 people were vaccinated Thursday evening at the West Bay Clinic, of which 209 received their first dose. Another 290 vaccines were administered at the Camana Bay Clinic on Friday morning, including 230 first doses. Long queues were reported during the evening session at this clinic, which is also open on Saturday.

“People are showing up in numbers,” Turner said at Friday’s press conference. “We want this to continue and we appreciate your cooperation in making it a reality. “

At the start of this week, Cayman had enough vaccine for around 3,000 people and the UK can send more doses. London has now allowed Cayman to launch its own recall program based on its own needs and vulnerabilities.

Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee said Public Health England has confirmed that UK Overseas Territories may decide to roll out recall programs as the UK Medicines and Medicines Regulatory Agency Health Products has approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines as booster shots.

Further details on procurement and deployment dates will be released shortly. Priority will be given to vulnerable, immunocompromised and older members of the community.

Meanwhile, there are now 36 active cases of the virus, three of which are from individuals who have been infected in the community and have had no travel history for more than a month. One of them is in the hospital to treat other medical issues but has only mild COVID symptoms, the second person to test positive is recovering at home, and both are fully immunized.

The third person who tested positive in connection with the other two is not vaccinated but is currently asymptomatic. The other 33 cases are among 830 travelers in quarantine and isolation, 12 of whom are suffering from symptoms of coronavirus.

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