Pfizer vaccines due on Thursday, vaccinations resume on Saturday

IF all goes according to plan, those wanting to receive the Pfizer covid19 vaccine will be able to do so from Saturday.

Speaking at the Health Ministry’s bi-weekly covid19 update on February 26, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said approximately 260,000 doses, part of the second tranche of Pfizer vaccines, will be incinerated, as they were due to expire on Monday.

He said a third tranche of 75,000 doses is expected in the country on Thursday and inoculation will resume on Saturday.

“Once those vaccines come in tomorrow (Thursday), we restart the programme on Saturday. Anyone who wants to get first shot, second shot or boosted with Pfizer, you can do so from Saturday.

"We restart the school programme where we go into selected schools from Monday.”

He appealed to parents to get their children vaccinated.

Asked how soon the Pfizer vaccines approved for younger children will be available, Deyalsingh the Government is currently in talks “in two avenues” for the vaccines approved for children five-11.

“One avenue is bilaterally with Pfizer. The last meeting we had was week before last and we are waiting for a heads of term agreement with Pfizer, which is a precursor to an actual contractual agreement.”

He added that through a Caricom initiative the Government is also sourcing vaccines through CARPHA negotiating with Pfizer.

He said a report that the vaccine has an efficacy rate of 12 per cent was not peer-reviewed and for it to withstand scrutiny it must pass that threshold, adding that the role of vaccines is for treating severe cases to keep people out of hospital.

Deyalsingh also explained that the booster programme is now changed as the health authorities are doing away with time slots, since some 136,494 people have been boosted.

He added that anyone fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca can be boosted six months after their second dose. Those fully vaccinated with Sinopharm can be boosted three months after their final dose and there is a two-month wait for those who received the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.