Wells: We can vaccinate 30 percent by September

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells. Photo: Donavan McIntosh

As of Friday, June 18, 2021

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Renward Wells says he believes The Bahamas can vaccinate up to 30 percent of its population against the deadly coronavirus before September.

According to Mr Wells, more than 70,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered in the country to date.

He said as of Tuesday, 51,099 people have already received their first shot, while 19,474 have had their second shot, resulting in a total of 70,573 shots being administered nationwide.

The health minister said the numbers of those fully vaccinated represent roughly seven percent, while those who have only received their first shot account for about 18 percent.

“Based on the Department of Statistics’ population projections, it is estimated that in the year 2021 there will be some 272,160 adults aged 20 years and older in the Bahamas,” Mr Wells told the House of Assembly during his budget contribution yesterday.

“This translates to 18.8 percent of the population receiving first doses and 7.2 percent of the population completing the vaccine schedule or who are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.”

Speaking to a recent challenge for all member states of the World Health Organization to have at least 30 percent of their populations vaccinated by the end of the year, Mr Wells said he believed the goal was possible.

“During the recent 74th World Health Assembly, Dr Tedros, director general of the World Health Organization, challenged member states ‘to achieve vaccination of at least 10 percent of the population of all countries by the end of September 2021 and at least 30 percent by the end of the year,” the Bamboo Town MP said.

“Mr Speaker, in our local context, we believe this to be achievable, especially when we take stock of the age grouping with the lower uptake of the vaccine. This age grouping is the same age grouping accounting for the greatest COVID19 disease burden – those 49 years and under.

“Specifically, of the total doses administered in the Bahamas: 8.9 percent was administered to those 20 to 29 years of age; 12.8 percent to those 30 to 39 years of age; and 17 percent to those 40 to 49 years of age. Our path to normalcy rests heavily with these age groupings. We can get to 30 percent, in the first instance before September.”

“The nation needs your cooperation not competition or confrontation,” the health minister added.

Mr Wells again stressed that vaccines are the only way out of the pandemic, saying the benefits still far outweigh the risks.

He said less than one percent of those who took the vaccine in the country have reported side effects and added that no deaths have been attributed to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

He said: “To those who purport the vaccine is not safe. We hear you! To those who believe the vaccine to be a conspiracy. We hear you too! But, as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is always in the eating.”

Yesterday, Mr Wells also gave an update on the nation’s fight with COVID-19, noting that the daily number of new cases and hospitalisations is trending downward.

“For the fourth consecutive week, our national incidents or new cases have been trending down,” the Bamboo Town MP said. “…The positivity rate is trending downward currently sitting at nine percent from a high in the third wave of 16 per cent - a 43.5 per cent reduction.”

However, this comes amid concerns of more infectious COVID-19 variant strains.

Local health officials have previously said it is very likely new strains are in the country.

However, Mr Wells said officials are still waiting to receive test results from samples sent abroad.

He said: “The World Health Organization on May 11, 2021, reclassified the B.1.617.2 variant from a variant of interest to a variant of concern. This B.1.617.2 variant, now known as the delta variant, originated in India and joins the other, four variants of concern – the UK or alpha variant; the South African or beta variant; the Indian or kappa variant, also known as B.1.617.1 and the Brazilian or gamma variant. Vaccines currently available on the market are still effective against all of these variants.”

Currently, the overall number of cases in the country stands at 12,295 after health officials recorded 53 news cases Thursday. Of this figure, 740 cases still remain active, with 38 people in hospital sick with the virus.

Meanwhile, 241 people have died from the virus to date.

Yesterday, Mr Wells said: “Although we note that almost equal distribution of COVID-19 cases are among males and females, there is continued shifting of the burden of disease to those 20 to 49 years… which is accounting for the vast majority of the burden of our disease in our third wave.

“Within this group, the greatest rate of increase has been among the 25 to 34-year-olds…If you want to party, vaccinate. If you want to hang with the crew, vaccinate. Get vaccinated.”

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

Amazing no official stats like CNN.

ohdrap4 2 years, 10 months ago

But, as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is always in the eating.”

I copied this to paste on the day after the ekection.

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

WHA statement is an abandonment of WHO science to counter Covid. A political driven initiative by sponsors with profits to make not world health. It says to just punish your people more, disgrace women to force vaccine for jobs or their children starve. WHA statement says nothing about living healthy to avoid the ravages of Covid on obese, HBP, diabetic persons of the world. It emphasized the primacy of big profit big pharma agenda to make 175trillion dollars by vaccinating the world by member states by all means, so big pharma could make money as their goal, not saving lives. WHO criminally allows testing on humans on DNA modification chemicals called the jab or vaccine. They are heartless. Funded by Gates and other private profiteer organizations. Their goal is to force mothers to make their children take this junk through blackmail slavery love sacrifice that this gov is forcing upon us. Notice that department of statistics have heads counted for bounty profits. Each Bahamian has been sold already as slaves to big pharma.

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

Of interest to pay attention to. Canada like The Bahamas a Queen territory refused to opits borders with the USA. Like The Bahamas it too carries extremely harshest unhuman measures like Australia. But all political, control, fear and territorial, not health and science. Biden is our hero of the day. The old boy admitted what they wanted him to that the delta Indian strain narrative is nasty but the USA will not go into another lockdown. Our gov was praying for a USA lockdown so our smiling hyiena with two horned demons head and with alligator tooth could have cover to lock us down, force vaccination but Biden is old Grandma's apple pie. Morals. Sorry for him though.

John 2 years, 10 months ago

The fairytales continue. The US is saying they are detecting the Delta variant in waste water. But they are also saying it is attacking mostly people who are not vaccinated. So are they saying they can test waste water (sewerage) and determine if the virus came from persons who were not vaccinated? Give God a break!

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

https://www.rt.com/usa/527014-florida...">https://www.rt.com/usa/527014-florida...

Judge clipped CDC powerful wings that allowed the Gates funded agengy to cripple tourism. Wells might be mad as one of their power source has been ruled unscientific.

ohdrap4 2 years, 10 months ago

Better late than never.

But this will put the kibosh on Bahamas homeporting. A blessing in disguise.

The CDC says a SINGLE case of human to human transmission as an outbreak. Yep, that is why we were locked down for a handful of cases.

I want a pass to be in the 3% unvaccinated crew.

DWW 2 years, 10 months ago

why russian? what deos rusia care about bahamas? are you a robot?

whogothere 2 years, 10 months ago

Ultimately the Bahamian vaccination program is a waste of time...

The Vaccine The Bahamas has access to does not provide much protection against variants - however these variants are not necessarily more deadly with a similar 99.8% survival rate original COVID 19 strain. Astra Zeneca has about 10% efficacy rate again SA and Indian Variants...

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056...">https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056...

AZ efficacy rate against COVID is more generally between 62%-70%. As efficacy rates goes down the threshold of vaccinated persons needed for HIT goes up. MOH target of 70% does not take this into consideration. Ultimately with AZ only a 100% vaccination rate would stand half chance against a singular strain of COVID 19....

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

There is a growing evidence that risk benefit of vaccines for young persons is waning with numerous countries ditch the jab those under 50. Italy is the most recent of them with a young 18 year old woman dying of a blood clot, last week.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/health/italy...">https://www.aa.com.tr/en/health/italy...

A free antibody testing program would be more effective at determining those that innate (and now proven to be more enduring) natural immunity. Actual infection rates is likely to be x10 the confirmed case count of 12k...In other words possible 120k have had covid and have natural immunity...If the government wants to set a 70% threshold to take their foot of necks of Bahamians they should change the Goal post to 70% of the at risk population...the elderly..the obese...those with underlying conditions...and move on..

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

Nice

ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago

Completely agree I would be open to being tested for antibodies

CoolCatBD 2 years, 10 months ago

Well said!!!

ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago

"he believes"

and thats been the problem this entire 4 years. Our governance has been based on someone's gut feeling ratger than thoughtful analysis by qualified persons without some political everything is going great agenda.

You dont have to "believe" that you can vaccinate 30% by September, do a study among those who haven't been vaccinated, find out the reason for their hesitancy. Based on the answers, how much of the blocks could be reasonably resolved by Sept? Are you even assured you will have vaccines for 2 doses to 30% of the population?After full vaccination by summer failed abysmally wouldnt this be a much better approach? Or, are we even interested in reality?

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/527043-astra...">https://www.rt.com/op-ed/527043-astra...

Astrazenica vaccinated banned from USA concert. Blessing that Florida outlawed vaccine passes for entry.

OMG 2 years, 10 months ago

Astra Zenica and Phizer have had a substantial effect in the UK by reducing intensive care treatment and deaths. and against the so called Indian variant. Most hospital admissions are now younger people who have NOT been vaccinated. Most viruses mutate and the flue vaccine administered every year to the elderly is tweaked ever year to meet the virus mutations. As for the blood clot risk that is touted, in every country every day women who take the pill,. Long Haul flight passengers and hospitalized patients have blood clots often fatal. As another example every day in the approx 10 UK citizens under the age of 35 die of unexplained cardiac arrest yet many attribute this to a host of unproven causes. Obviously taking or not taking the vaccine is a personal choice but the rumours that have been circulated in the media have painted a confusing picture, but if you have ever witnessed a person gasping for breath or on a ventilator or suffering from long covid then isn't vaccination worth the small risk involved.

ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago

Risks associated with birth control pills and other legal drugs are exactly what we're talking about. There is a risk to taking any drug because every "body" is a complex construction of unique biological and chemical constituents such that no single test can determine the exact impact of any drug on every individual. (also why Im against marijuana legalization. As a black overweight hypertensive diabetic nation, we dont know)

So. If you believe the risk is small to "YOU", sure. Id say the risk of harm from testing for antibodies is zero. well maybe 0.1% if you consider a dirty needle.

ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago

why doesnt the govt offer free antibody testing? Tgey accomplish 2 objectives. Those found with viable antibodies are counted in the immunity rate statistic and those without antibodies now know for certain that they have no protection and it might persuade them to be vaccinated.

ThisIsOurs 2 years, 10 months ago

Also young people arent getting infected because theyre the only ones not vaccinated. They werent vaccinated before the vaccine was produced. Theyre turning up at hospitals because the virus mutated. Its likely vaccinated persons are being infected too but dont feel the need to go to a hospital, A. because they may feel like they have a bad cold and B. theyre vaccinated so what could go wrong?

CoolCatBD 2 years, 10 months ago

Ivermectin, Mexico, Peru, India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJSUK">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJSUK...">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJSUK">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJSUK...

A lot of small/poor countries, are using Ivermectin, to fill the gap, of people not vaccinated.

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

The Bahamas is following the young people getting Covid, Covid in the sewer of States with low vaccination mass media narrative. There is just 125 trillion dollars to be made by big pharma and medical people if they could just let this go to its fear and death scripted conclusion. The collusion of top Powe forces through a regime of reward and loyalty to many Judas' is at play. The world tourist, travel, hotel employment that drives many world economies is destroyed by this kidnapping, hijacked blackmail.

carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago

How can Wells even quote WHO, discreded for not approving Sputnik V, the world's first, most effective and with zero side effects that if Covid was as dangerous as WHO cost the world millions of lives, only that Sputnik V was not made in G7 nations. WHO, total hypocracy and into making western dollars not saving human beings.

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