Community Urged to Support Vaccination Drive-Thru This Weekend

The BVI Health Services Authority is using local data to drive its new vaccination campaign. This campaign was launched on 27 January; and features statistics collated from the Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital’s Specialty Care, and Intensive Care Units.

The campaign is organized by the Primary Healthcare Department and it focuses on providing a breakdown of COVID related hospitalizations during 2021. Director of Primary Healthcare Dr. Natasha Frett explained that the campaign seeks to provide an understanding of how the virus has been affecting persons in the Territory.

“Being on the frontline, the Primary Healthcare team continues to come face to face with risks associated with the coronavirus. We are also seeing the hurt and effects it has been having on families and the community at large; and we are hoping that by putting this data forward persons would get a clearer picture of the favourable results of vaccination,” Dr. Frett stated.

The statistics are for the period of January to December 2021 and include the number of COVID-19 related hospitalization (158); and the differentiation between those who were vaccinated (19), partially vaccinated (2) and those unvaccinated (137). The most revealing statistics showed that the number of persons who died from COVID related complications (36) were all unvaccinated.

Marketing and Communications Manager at the BVI Health Services Authority, Damion Grange explained that the BVIHSA’s campaign is bringing to light realities of the efficacies of vaccination against the coronavirus. “Each figure represents a person, who has a family, and that family has been impacted in significant ways. The BVIHSA and Ministry of Health is committed to the protection of the BVI community; and from our in-house data it is clear that promoting and encouraging vaccination is an effective way to get this done.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Health and Social Development, Hon. Carvin Malone is encouraging residents to take advantage of the Vaccination Drive that will be taking place on Saturday 29 January, and Sunday 30 January at the Festival Ground in Road Town, between the hours of 9:00a.m. and 5:00p.m.

Hon. Malone noted that both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccine will be available in first, second and booster dose options. “We will make sure that it is all available. Through the United Kingdom we have been able to get all of the vaccines that are required for the entire population.”

The Minister while imploring the community to capitalize on the Vaccination Drive stated that healthcare workers have been going above and beyond the call of duty to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Territory. He stated, “We have had the staff at the Health Services Authority – they have been working around the clock, saving you, risking their own lives in making sure that you are comfortable. You have to do your part. You have to do your part by making sure that you become vaccinated.”