HALF of our nation might be vaccinated by the end of the year.
That’s a laudable goal set by the government in its efforts to ramp up vaccination – and we hope it comes true.
About 39 percent of the country is presently vaccinated, so there is a distance to go, but every step closer will save lives.
It has routinely been noted now that the vast majority of deaths from COVID-19 now take place among those who are unvaccinated. Taking the vaccine vastly increases your chances of survival from the virus – and it’s not just about you. For those who cannot take the vaccine, for whatever reason, or who are unable to acquire the antibodies, you serve as protection from them too, reducing the chances they will be affected and stopping the virus from getting a grip.
This week, Dr Duane Sands has warned there is every possibility of a fourth wave. We have seen the death and pain caused in the third wave – now is the time to act for those who haven’t yet been vaccinated in order to reduce risks in any subsequent wave.
There is the prospect too of more children being able to be vaccinated as the science develops, so there will be an opportunity to limit risks as they return to in-person learning as well.
Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday: “Well as it stands right now, The Bahamas is at about 39 percent vaccinated and we want before the end of the year to get in excess about 45 to 50 percent (vaccinated). We’re gonna work hard to achieve that goal and we’re definitely gonna ramp up our public education so that every Bahamian in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas will know the importance of being vaccinated.”
The vaccines are in hand – the latest shipment of 134,550 doses of Pfizer vaccine arriving yesterday – so it’s time to get the jab if you can.
The other part of the government’s plan to tackle the virus isn’t there yet – the free testing programme promised in the election campaign is still only a handful of piecemeal pilot projects on an island here, an island there. It’s certainly a long way from taking over the testing requirements of workers at locations such as Atlantis, as had been suggested.
So don’t wait for the testing regime to catch up, go get your vaccine now. Fifty percent of the country vaccinated would be a good step forward. If we all play our part, we can do even better than that.
School repairs
Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin tells us that a number of schools are not ready for the resumption of face-to-face learning because of an unsatisfactory state of repair.
She cited “egregious neglect” and said schools that will not open include LW Young, Yellow Elder Primary, CW Sawyer Primary, Ridgeland Primary, Sybil Strachan Primary, Uriah McPhee Primary, SC McPherson Junior High School, Gerald Cash Primary School, Carlton Francis Primary and the Centre for the Deaf – as well as Exuma schools George Town Primary and LN Coakley High.
COVID-19 has absolutely caused disruption – along with supply chain issues for construction, but these schools should have been ready for the start of September. The half-term has just passed for most schools, so how far would they have missed their original deadline by for construction and repairs?
We hope Mrs Hanna Martin can very quickly give answers on when these schools will be able to reopen. It is one thing to not reopen doors because of children’s safety, it is another thing entirely to do so because work that should have been done hasn’t been. Too many children are being left behind in virtual learning – every day those students are denied a chance to go back to school is another day slowing down their education.
Comments
sheeprunner12 3 years ago
The First World countries are doing their best to brainwash the rest of the world to accept this vaccine hoax ...... A true travesty to mankind. Is China 50% vaccinated??? That's where it started.
ThisIsOurs 3 years ago
and yet with under 30% of the population vaccinated, the numbers have all but gone away.
I maintain that 100% or even 80% vaccination was and is not necessary. The data doesnt support it. The campaign should have targeted the vulnerable. Wouldnt it have been great if we'd had a national campaign for everyone to check their health status instead of forcing a vaccine on everyone? Those found to be hypertensive or diabetic then advised to get the vaccine because theyre at extreme risk? Could have also have been an opportunity to test a (voluntary) sample of the unvaccinated for evidence of antibodies, then find out if theyd experienced symptoms or not. Wouldnt it have been interesting to find hypertensive diabetic overweight people who had no symptoms but possessed COVID antibodies? So many lost opportunitues.
ThisIsOurs 3 years ago
its very dishesrtening that whatever information is put out by the CDC we just follow blindly. Its not to say the CDC is wrong, but our goal should be protection of our people first, ask questions. I was very interested when they ran out of astra xeneca and they told Bahamians to mix and match, always wondered if they were conducting a study on us.
Roman 3 years ago
In Canada, we also mixed and match. Health Canada said it was effective and a means to stretch vaccine supplies.
Roman 3 years ago
In Canada, our Health Authorities also told us to mix and match. They said it was effective and a way to stretch the available supply of vaccines. Further studies confirmed that yes, it was effective mixing different types of approved vaccines (AstraZeneca with .Pfizer or Moderna).
ohdrap4 3 years ago
A fourth wave of a variant such as the Delta Plus, for which the current vaccines do not work?
Herd immunity does not mean 100% vaccination.
whogothere 3 years ago
Isn’t it amazing how cases collapsed without the majority of people being vaccinated? It’s almost like vaccination %s don’t matter…shocking..
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years ago
That is until the CDC revises the definition of "fully vaccinated" to require a third shot as well (and then a fourth). Wonder how many Bahamians are going to line up for a third one just to get into America?
I'm also sure that we can expect more columns blaming the not so easily deceived among us for the death of 99 year olds in this country as well. Probably an editorial or two calling for those of us who actually have a brain to be arrested and thrown into Fox Hill to rot as well.
I advise anyone reading this comment to read a book called 1984. It is the blueprint for everything happening today.
carltonr61 3 years ago
The vaccinated are as frustrated and questioning their vaccine exceptionism having to be tested as if The USA don't even trust their own vaccine. Guess they don't . But we should put it into our bodies for protection. The nob vaccinated who test negative cannot transfer covid but a vaccinated sheds the virus to the public that is why they are constantly tested and are a threat to the world.
bcitizen 3 years ago
I wonder who the boogie man will be then.
carltonr61 3 years ago
Soon the vaccinated will become the unvaccinated
https://sputniknews.com/20210930/antibo…
JokeyJack 3 years ago
As descendants of slaves, Bahamians should know full well how to treat minorities. Force them to the back of the bus and give them their own water fountains. Is there anything else we can do horribly to our brothers and sisters? How can we ruin their lives and prosecute their families? How about their children? Can we deny them an education? (Oops, my bad, we're already doing that since early last year with virtual rubbish). Sorry. Anyway more will come to terrorize them. Be creative.
tribanon 3 years ago
LMAO
The entire next shipment of vaccines should be transported from the airport to the door step of The Tribune's building along with a sufficient supply of syringes so that The Tribune's owners, editorial staff and newsreporters can all have a jolly jab fest of an office Christmas party.
carltonr61 3 years ago
Looks like they copies Ivermectin.
https://www.rt.com/usa/539451-pfizer-or…
carltonr61 3 years ago
There were also issues of conflict of interest.
“The fact that the Health Ministry was a regulator, decision-maker and researcher – that is a problem,” she stressed. “This is what caused the trust crisis.”
She said that the decision-makers are their own researchers and “sign all those papers in fancy journals” is a mistake and makes it hard for the public to trust the process.
The Health Ministry signed the business deal with Pfizer, oversaw the administration of the vaccines through the health funds and then wrote about the results of the country’s campaign.
There has also been an issue of access to raw data.
The Health Ministry has shared papers and presentations but has failed to provide raw data in many circumstances when asked by the public or academicians.
“The default should be that the data belongs to the public,” said Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians. https://m.jpost.com/health-and-wellness…
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