Bahamas: COVID-19 vaccine rollout at Public Hospitals Authority

Bahamas: The rollout of the national vaccine exercise against COVID-19 continued with health care workers of the Public Hospitals Authority, who were inoculated on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

Among PHA staff were Dr. Caroline Burnett-Garraway, Medical Chief of Staff, Princess Margaret Hospital, followed by senior executives and other employees. Hospital Chaplain Fr. Sebastian Campbell blessed the process and also received the vaccine.

The important workers on the front line of defense received the vaccine just days after the first person — Public Health Nurse Ruth Bastian, and Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis and his wife, Patricia – were inoculated.

The vaccines are from the batch of 20,000 AstraZeneca vaccines – also known as Covishield — which The Bahamas received from the Government of India on Wednesday, March 10, 2021.

The vaccines were pre-qualified by the WHO and obtained Emergency Use Listing (EUL) approval by the WHO. The vaccines have also received specific certification from the Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS).

Individuals are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine in this first phase which includes: healthcare workers in the public sector and private sector healthcare workers participating in the vaccination drive.

Citizens and staff of eldercare homes and non-ambulatory citizens enrolled in the public health system; and officers of the uniformed branches (Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Bahamas Department of Corrections, Bahamas Customs, and the Department of Immigration).

Appointments are not needed for residents and staff of eldercare homes and non-ambulatory citizens, who will be protected by COVID-19 Vaccine Mobile Units.

The appointment system was live on Tuesday morning, March 16, for healthcare workers and uniformed staff members starting with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, on New Providence and Grand Bahama.

Eligible healthcare workers and uniformed branch staff were notified within their respective institutions as to how to make their appointments.

All eligible vaccine candidates in this first phase will be expected to present an ID code formed by the appointment system and valid government-issued identification at the inoculation site.

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