The Tribune

IF a shortage of supply has been your excuse for not getting vaccinated, then today you have no reason not to book your jab.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis welcomed the arrival of another 33,600 Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine doses yesterday. That’s still not enough to get us all the way to herd immunity – but it’s certainly enough to get on with the process.

Those waiting for a second dose are urged to book as soon as possible. Those waiting for a first dose can book online but soon could even just go to a walk-up centre. Why wait, though? Get it booked.

As our politicians continue to try to secure more doses from overseas, it might be useful for them to show a high level of enthusiasm for the vaccine – the quicker we get through the doses we have, the more we can show that any doses given to our nation will be used rather than left to sit on the shelf.

If you need any further encouragement, listen to the words of Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen, who has pointed out the likelihood of being infected with COVID-19 if you are fully vaccinated.

He says less than five percent of people who are fully vaccinated have been infected with COVID. “Most startling,” he said, “is when we start to look at some of the issues that come with hospitalisations, when you look at the deaths, it shows you over and over again – that it is unfortunately individuals who have not been vaccinated who are suffering most from this.

“The last time we checked there were no individuals who had been vaccinated who were currently being hospitalised.”

None. Not one. There continues to be a lot of conspiracy theories about the vaccine, fuelled by unsourced posts on social media or hoax websites. But the hard facts are simple. The vaccine helps to keep you out of hospital, and to keep you alive.

The vaccine is here. Get it while you can.

Speaker’s platform

When the time comes for Halson Moultrie to depart his office for the last time, it is fair to say that we will reflect on an unusual period for the role of Speaker.

Mr Moultrie’s latest idea is to hold “Open Parliaments” for the public each Wednesday, starting next week. The House will not reconvene until September 22, but Mr Moultrie plans to open the building to visitors, where discussions can be held with himself and Chief Clerk David Forbes.

It might be tempting to indulge in a thought that this might spur an interest in civic education, in understanding our democracy – but at the same time, the Speaker has thrown an elbow at the Prime Minister over the continuation of Emergency Powers to prevent the spread of COVID, saying: “The chains fell off in 1833 but we are witnesses of new chains of bondage, guised as Emergency Power Orders that discriminate, infringe Bahamians’ constitutional rights and challenge the very essence of our being.”

While he may protest such restrictions, we would hope Mr Moultrie intends to honour them for those who do attend his Open Parliament sessions.

Either way, it wouldn’t seem the impartiality of the post is holding Mr Moultrie back. We hope those who do take up his offer find it enlightening – and that it is not just a platform for grievances to be aired or for Mr Moultrie’s campaign as an independent in the forthcoming election.