THROUGHOUT the battle against COVID-19, one of the repeated questions has been over the need for the government to secure enough vaccines for everyone. That question has now been answered – and emphatically so.
The United States is donating 397,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, with the first 128,700 doses arriving today.
Between that and the doses previously received of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, and the 40,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to arrive by the end of the month, supply is no longer an issue for Bahamians.
Demand is our major concern now. It is encouraging that the previous supplies we have received have been used up, but there still remains a significant chunk of the population who have not yet sought out the vaccine.
The phrase commonly used for that is vaccine hesitancy, but that is perhaps too large an umbrella to cover everyone who has yet to book their appointment.
There are those, for example, who have been advised by their doctor who may have particular health concerns, such as allergies to some of the components.
There are those who are simply wary of the vaccine or even just the needle and who are building up the courage to make the call.
There are some who might not know how to book the appointment – you can visit vax.gov.bs to do so, or if you don’t have internet access, ask your doctor or nearest walk-in clinic.
Sadly, there are some who put more stock in conspiracy theories than in medical experts, even if it is those same medical experts they will turn to if they catch COVID-19 and need help.
Whatever the reason you might not have booked your vaccine appointment, you can be confident that if you do so right now, then there will be enough supply for you.
We are seeing a significant number of people in hospital right now – and the vast majority are those who are unvaccinated, both of those needing treatment and of those who have died.
The vaccine can help you stay out of hospital, and it can help you stay alive.
We owe a massive thank you to the United States for its donation, just as we owe thanks to the other countries who have helped us out previously.
We must not let these donations go to waste. Let’s take the lead in our region, and hit vaccination numbers ahead of our neighbouring countries. Better yet, let’s keep ourselves, our friends, our families out of hospital. Let’s stay alive.
Golden heroes
Our country is saying thank you in a different way today too. Gold medal winners Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner are each to receive $40,000 for their Olympic efforts, and we suspect there’s not a person in the country who would begrudge them a single cent. Indeed, many would say they deserve a lot more!
It is a tradition around the world for countries to reward their Olympic heroes, a little extra incentive for those following in their speedy footsteps.
The pair are due to arrive back on Bahamian soil today at Lynden Pindling International Airport, to be greeted with flags and the sound of Junkanoo.
We hope the pair see how much the country appreciates their efforts, and that forevermore they will be hailed as Bahamian heroes. They have earned the right.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
Ok!
whogothere 3 years, 4 months ago
Loooooollllll - the rubber meets the road - when’s the expiration date again?
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
I drove by st. Amselms this rainy morning.
Folks waiting for the vaccinne were congregating (commiserating as renward said) under a tent to shelter from the rain.
I could see covid emanating. 👻
bcitizen 3 years, 4 months ago
Hmmm. Population 400,000 people 397000 pfizer divide by two is 198,500 40,000 J&J about 60,000 Astra Zenica divide by two is 30,000 That totals about 268,000 people that can be fully vaccinated. Now I am no math wiz but, I think we are still a little short? 400,000-268,000 = 132,000
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
Take away 32000 that already got 2 jabs. 100,000.
By November we need 60000 astra zeneca boosters.
Then by april pfizer boosters. Are these free too?
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
Vaccine skeptics around the world are questioning how the Bahamas could have no vaccine injuries or deaths. The world knows we a lieing nation that covers up everything and we are perfect.
https://sputniknews.com/europe/20210813…
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
Completely agree. Im baffled as to how they can hide this data. We should have an account of everyone who died having one or more vaccination and a full investigation into cause of death. This is serious business. We're an overweight hypertensive diabetic nation our monitoring shoukd be specific to us and public.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
https://www.rt.com/usa/531865-mayo-clin…
Is Mayo Clinic also lieing. Only our government never uses false information and white lies.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
Fauci threat to FDA to fully approve vaccine achieved only necessary booster shot for the immuncompromised. The percentage of child death or illness in the Bahamas remains at about 0.00000004 and does not fit Emergency use child mortality. The Bahamas is not a real place as only in Israel, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden 93%vaccinated above 16 years currently show fully vaccinated are now very ill. Only in the Bahamas vaccinated people dont spread Covid. We are scecial. Come to the Bahamas were vaccinated persons don't die or get sick. Only in the Bahamas we haven't seen a surge in cases after mass vaccinations. Israel is near lockdown with full vaccinated injury but we are The chosen ones because, not here.
themessenger 3 years, 4 months ago
@carlton61, you certainly are very special when it comes to disseminating misinformation and some outright lies. Not surprising as you wear your politics on your sleeve. You must spend your every waking hour trolling all of the garbage sites of cyber space to find links to fit your spiel. People like you, Tribanon and others of that ilk, do the country and your fellow Bahamians a great disservice by being so deceitful.
DonAnthony 3 years, 4 months ago
So true. They think spreading misinformation and outright lies is innocuous, even a game, but sadly some will refuse to vaccinate and die because they believe their deceit.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
You and others like you, e.g. @DonAnthony, tiresomely and monotonously claim to be the only ones the rest of us should be listening to without any comments or views of our own being voiced. It's as if you want official authority to decide what can and cannot be said on this website. Oh well, if that somehow makes you feel much more special than the rest of us, then by all means ramble on with whatever floats your boat.
DonAnthony 3 years, 4 months ago
I urge you to examine your conscience and change your behavior where appropriate. It is immoral to peddle such falsehoods and lies like you do when it can be such a detriment to another’s health or even life. This is not a joke, there are serious consequences for such misinformation.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
Just what I needed ...... a conscience lecture from a lost sanctimonious sheep. lol
bobby2 3 years, 4 months ago
Thank you "the messenger" for the cold hard truth. There are about four frequent posters that simply lie & purposely mislead. They are doing the Bahamas a grave mis-service.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
No one's stopping you or anyone else from believing everything you're being told by public health officials around the world and getting jabbed as many times as you would like my friend. lol
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 4 months ago
As you like to say, (and take credit for), when you know you've been called out - ZZZZZzzzzzz
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
I just knew @bobby2 had to be your nephew.....lol
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
Message still believes the Earth is flat. Hitler burnt books. So you have a totalitarian dangerous mentality. If our Hitler can lock us down with his sole power our unions can do the same. No love lost.
M0J0 3 years, 4 months ago
I am still trying to figure out what's the real benefit, no doctor or vaccinated can answer. The only answer is it keeps you out of the hospital at least its what the pm and them saying. Take notice of the recent admission that vaccinated have died. The vaccine is a just a tampon trying to stop a elephants period.
M0J0 3 years, 4 months ago
I really wish folks will stop trying to force people to get a shot and force the gov. to be open and honest. I still believe if the government came out with facts from the jump and been str8 up more would of been open to taking it, but because of the lies and many cover ups it cannot be trusted. Freedom must be first and not dictatorship.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
It just boggles the mind that many nations that gained the promised 70% vaccinated status are lieing by revealing they are seeing a phenomenal case surge as a result with the opposite effect. We cannot blame tourist arrivals as Denmark more infected and not a tourist destination. The vaccine pushers are in white lie denyal blaming Delta varient all the shielding Vax failure to cure hiding that Vax is spreading covid.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
For 512 days we have been living under one wise man Autocratic iron fist and we are deeper in a hole with the economy, education and lives in the grave. With his new extention and health law which keeps him with dictator hands we will become the first Covid junk nation.
Naughtydread 3 years, 4 months ago
If you would just take your stupid ass and get vaccinated us people who actually bring value to society could get back to work.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
I am a member of ORCiD, licensed to research and submit material.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
Get back to work? Nobody is stopping you from working if you have a job. The hotels are open.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
Latest news says from China says that the vaccines have failed. I am a member of ORCID and licensed internationally to research and submit papers. Being astute qualifies as stupidity in your mind.
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
Even The Tribune's editorial staff would have us believe every hospital bed in our country has been occupied for quite sometime now as a result of the Wuhan virus. It's as if the Wuhan virus has miraculously cured all the many other serious illnesses our people have been plagued with for decades now as a result of poor diet, lack of exercise and inadequate healthcare. Unbelievable - literally!
Bobsyeruncle 3 years, 4 months ago
Erm, where do you get this Bovine Excrement from ?
tribanon 3 years, 4 months ago
ZZZZZZzzzzzzz........
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
Education uncertainty will force thousands of parents and children shopping in small spaces. Hell will break out by October then lockdown. Has happened in all countries after mass vaccination. CDC warns that vaccinated can get sick and spread a form of Covid that changes names every fright period.
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
The vacvines have failed to cut the chain of transmission. That is the problem.
They have known that but not revealed it.
The reason the Sabin vaccine replaced the Salk vaccine was because of that. Salk kept paralysis at bay, but Sabin was more effective in cutting the chain of transmission.
ohdrap4 3 years, 4 months ago
And, as long as Renward remains minister of health, I will not take any vaccine.
Trust no one who cannot enunciate more than 2 syllables.
Never trust a skinny cook.
carltonr61 3 years, 4 months ago
Bahamians don't read. My boy Trump gave authorization for vaccine use. The FDA cannot approve a substance as Approved for use in less than a year. The FDA will not take it.
BMW 3 years, 4 months ago
orange clown wanted to inject bleach to cure covid. LMAO
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