The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands says a successful coronavirus vaccination programme hinges on the launch of a comprehensive public education campaign that addresses the concerns of Bahamians.

Health officials will also have to drive home the fact that receiving a vaccine does not mean mask wearing and social distancing are not needed, he said in an interview with The Tribune yesterday.

Following Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ announcement that Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis will chair a consultative committee to advise the Ministry of Health on a vaccination plan, the Elizabeth MP told The Tribune this is a step in the right direction.

However, there are several elements that must be present to ensure vaccines, when they arrive in the country, do not rot on the shelves. This includes proper analysis of safety data, which now only explores the 60 days following receipt of the vaccine to recipients in other countries.

“I’m happy,” Dr Sands said of the formation of the consultative advisory committee. “I applaud the government’s decision to create such a think tank to help guide the process because there will be some controversial decisions that have to be made – who goes first, elderly people, healthcare workers.

“How do you avoid some of the missteps of every other country who has tried to roll out their vaccination programme and incorporate the views of non-medical personnel is very important.

“So, I am very pleased to see that this step is being taken and I don’t think that we could have asked for a better leader than Dr Dahl-Regis.”

Decisions that have yet to be spoken of publicly rest on which vaccine health officials are likely to choose.

In his opinion, Dr Sands said it appears that AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is better suited for The Bahamas.

“For logistical reasons, it appears as if the AstraZeneca vaccine would be a better fit for The Bahamas and certainly based on mechanism of action the model that Oxford University and AstraZeneca chose, it would seem to be something that I am less leery of as compared to some of the others, but that committee will flesh out all of these things and I am sure they’ll make a recommendation.

“What’s very important is as a sovereign country that you go through due diligence. Like Ronald Reagan said, ‘trust but verify.’ You have to verify that whatever our strategy is for COVID is a good and perfect fit for the people of The Bahamas.”

In the meantime, Dr Sands said the deep-seated concerns of many Bahamians need addressing.

“There needs to be a very robust education campaign and that education campaign — and these are not my words I don’t remember the source — but ‘this is not about vaccines but vaccination.’ So, there can be all the vaccines in the world but if you look at countries like the United States many of them are staying on the shelf.”

He continued: “You have a number of people who have vaccine hesitancy that are refusing vaccination and in part because they have deep seated concerns about the process, the over politicisation of the discussion, they have questions of trust and all of these things need to be considered in the conversation.

“Let us talk with and educate the public, not speak at, but speak with and I think if we acknowledge that people have reasonable concerns you are going to be able to move this whole process more speedily to successful resolution.

“The other thing is to understand that vaccination is only one part of the approach to COVID. We still have to have the use of masks. We still have to use social distancing. Being in a closed space and partying with strangers is not a good idea and we need to incorporate ideas that will also lead to robust economic activity, but not result in some of the serious problems that we are seeing in other countries, like South Africa and so on.”

Asked if he would be among the first to receive the vaccine, Dr Sands said to answer in the affirmative would be disingenuous.

“I have made it very clear that I’d like to see more safety data. The data published on the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine show safety data out to 60 days. To me that’s not very long and as we watch the accrued experience with the roll out of vaccination programmes around the world the more robust and long-term data will help me to make a decision on when I will be prepared to take the COVID vaccine.”

He also said: “I think it would be disingenuous of me at this point (to say I will be first in line to take it). My position on COVID vaccines is a part of the public record. I have said what would be required for me certainly when we were talking about the Pfizer and Moderna iteration of vaccines.

“I am looking carefully at every bit of information and literature published on the vaccines and I don’t consider myself to be anything other than a scientist.

“I will be very honest with the public as to when I am prepared to take a shot,” Dr Sands said.