Barbados govt to take decision for administering Pzifer doses for children between 5-11 yrs

Chief Medical Officer – Dr Kenneth George informed that the Barbados government is all set to make a decision regarding administering the WHO-approved Pzifer COVID vaccine for the children who belong to the age group of 5 – 11 years.  

CMO George cited that, “Our country has examined the evidence. Remember, we have multiple sources to examine & once those sources are brought in the attention of the public health team, we would make a determination“. 

“What I can tell you all is that we are close to making a determination for the approval”, he further highlighted. 

At present, the Pzifer COVID vaccine is being given to children who are of 12 years and older, while the adult population is having access to the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The Food and Drug Administration – (FDA) & the Centres for Disease Control – (CDC) have given approval for the use of the Pzifer vaccine for this age group in the United States.

Dr George noted that the Barbadians are coming forward to take their jabs of the COVDID-19 vaccine “regardless of what was being – said in other places”.  

However, he added that people who have – comorbidities, such as – obesity, diabetes & hypertension, continued to have – negative outcomes, especially if they were not vaccinated.  

“We have options for the people, and you know boosters are becoming more and more commonplace. We have adopted a very – forward-looking booster policy of permitting individuals to have a third dose. But, at the same time, our priority would always be to get the unvaccinated to come across to be vaccinated,” following the statement, the CMO added. 

Barbados further encouraged the unvaccinated ones to come forward and take their jabs of the COVID-19 vaccine so that the island could soon return back to normalcy.